Stay A Little Longer
by TVDVampire
Summary: Death can cripple you. Sometimes, you need a fresh start to remember who you are. Stefan/Elena.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here is my newest story! A bit different from the rest and I hope you will enjoy it like you have all of the others.**

**This story is Stefan and Elena, with others thrown in for the fun of it all. The theme of this story deals a lot with healing and moving forward, which I think is so important and many people can relate to it. Whether you experience a breakup or a death of a loved one, you find ways to cope and sometimes those ways are not necessarily the healthy. So I throw in Stefan shirtless and playing a guitar and all is right in the world again! :) Kidding.**

**So I do hope you give this story a chance. It is rated M for language and probably sex and who knows what else. I am also changing Jeremy's age to make him a lot younger.**

**Please let me know what you think and whether or not I should continue.**

She groaned as she walked up her front porch steps. The bright light of the sun was making her already pounding head feel like it would explode. She squinted as she tried to find the right key on her key ring. "Damnit" she muttered when she dropped her keys and had to bend down to get them.

When she finally found the right key and was able to open the door, she stumbled inside, still a little off balance. But she managed to kick her heels off and toss her purse onto a nearby table. She was quiet as she tried to sneak across the living room.

"Where have you been?" she heard her aunt ask. Jenna was sitting in a chair in the corner, with a blanket draped over her shoulders. Her eyes were dark from lack of sleep and worry.

Elena turned to face her, clearly not happy with being interrogated this early in the morning. "I don't see why that is any of your business" Elena shot at her.

"Damnit Elena!" Jenna said, raising her voice as she stood up, ready for battle with Elena once again. Third time that week. "You are 17 years old and you live under my roof. That means you respect my rules" she said angrily.

Elena scoffed. "I'm not a child anymore, Jenna!" Elena yelled at her. "I'm almost an adult, and if I want to stay out late, then I will. You sure as hell won't tell me what to do" Elena informed her.

Jenna wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or scream at Elena, so she did both. "I can't do this anymore!" Jenna yelled at her. "I can't watch you throw your life away, staying out late getting drunk and doing God knows what else you do!" It was almost every night that Elena was out drinking with her irresponsible older friends. And Jenna was up all night scared to death that the next knock on her door would be the police saying that Elena was dead.

"Then mind your own damn business you bitch!" Elena yelled at her.

That had hurt. Bad. Jenna didn't bother to wipe her tears anymore. What was the point? "If your parents were here to see you right now …" Jenna trailed off.

That was cutting way too close to Elena's open wound and her face showed how much it affected her. "They're not" Elena said icily. "So back the fuck off Jenna" Elena warned, turning around and heading for the stairs.

As soon as Elena grabbed onto the stair railing, Jenna spoke up again. "Where are you going?" Jenna asked.

"To bed" Elena growled at her.

"You have school" Jenna reminded her.

"I'm not going" Elena told her. She had missed a lot of school lately, was barely passing all of her classes, and didn't give a fuck.

"Fine" Jenna told her, crossing her arms over her chest. "When you decide to wake up, pack your bags" she instructed.

Elena scoffed. "What, are you kicking me out?" Elena asked in disbelief. Though, Elena was happy to go. Surely someone would let her crash someplace.

"No" Jenna replied, walking closer to Elena. "I'm sending you to Wyoming" she announced.

Elena laughed in disbelief. "Where?" Elena asked.

"If you would attend class like you're supposed to, you would know where Wyoming was on the map" Jenna shot at her. It was a low blow, but it made Jenna feel good.

Elena glared at her. "I know where Wyoming is. But I'm not going" she informed her aunt. "I'll be 18 in September" she reminded. That was only four months away. Then Jenna really couldn't tell her what to do.

"You will go" Jenna corrected. "If you want your inheritance" she added.

Elena's mouth dropped open. "You can't withhold my inheritance from me. It's mine" Elena said angrily. At 18, Elena was entitled to all of it. The house. The vacation house. The money. The investments.

"Wrong" Jenna told her. "Your parents left me in charge of distributing your inheritance how I see fit" she reminded. "And right now, I don't think you are responsible enough to have that much money" Jenna informed. "So, you have a choice. You can go to Wyoming for a year, get your grades up at a school there, and turn your life around to get your inheritance in one year, or you can defy me yet again, stay here, and wait until you are 26 to get your money. It's your choice Elena" Jenna told her.

Elena was red with fury. "You can't do this" Elena told her.

Jenna shrugged. "Looks like I am" she told her. "Make up your mind by the end of the day. So I can let my friend know whether or not to expect you" she added. Then, Jenna turned around and went into the kitchen, feeling like she had more power than she had in the last year.

Elena was still fuming as she stomped up the stairs. This was unbelievable. She didn't want to go to Wyoming. What the hell was there in Wyoming? Surely, Jenna was just upset and overreacting. Elena could talk her out of it later when they had both cooled off.

"Elena?" a sleepy seven-year old asked, peeking out of his bedroom door. "Why were you yelling?" he asked sadly.

"I wasn't Jeremy!" Elena snapped, causing the young boy to ease back into his room quickly. Elena continued on to her room, slamming her door to prove her point that her aunt was being unreasonable and that the universe was unfair.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Them cattle are going to need to be moved to the south end of the ranch tomorrow" Ric said before taking in another spoonful of potato salad. "A few guys will be here tomorrow, falling trees and I don't want the whole herd getting spooked and running through a fence" he added.

Both Damon and Stefan nodded. "Sure thing, Ric" Damon said, grabbing for another piece of bread from the basket in the middle of the table.

All three settled into a peaceful silence for a bit as they continued to eat their dinner.

"I saw a few new youngsters in the barn this afternoon" Ric said, looking at Stefan.

Stefan smiled proudly. "I just picked them up this mornin' from Rawlins" Stefan told him. "I'm thinking both of them will make mighty fine barrel horses once I'm done with them."

Damon laughed. "Brother, when are you gonna stop playin' with a woman's horse and help us real men with the cattle? Or better yet, ride a bull?" his brother asked.

Stefan didn't respond, because he had learned not to. Damon didn't understand Stefan's passion for training horses. Damon was all about the thrill of possibly getting his face kicked in by a bull. Or working with cattle all day to earn a living.

"Leave your brother alone, Damon" Ric warned. "Stefan here is making quite a bit of money training those young horses. Hell, he could probably give you a few tips on your ridin' too" Ric said, grinning as he caught Stefan about ready to laugh.

"Funny" Damon said, glaring at Ric. "I don't have to be the best horse rider in town if I want to make my career outta ridin' bulls and raisin' cattle" he reminded.

"That why you fell off your horse last week trying to get that calf back with the herd?" Ric asked. Damon glared again. "Leave your brother alone" he warned again. Ric had known the boys since the day they were born. Ric had been a ranch hand for their parents for five years and was practically family by that point. And Ric had been raising them since Stefan was two and Damon was eight, after their parents up and left, claiming they didn't want the ranching life anymore. Or the responsibilities of raising two children.

Damon took it the hardest, seeing as he was eight when their parents took off for Europe. Stefan didn't remember a thing about them, and Ric thought that might have been best.

And now Ric was running a ranch and looking out for Damon, 23, and Stefan, 17. It wasn't the future that Ric had pictured for himself, but it was his life now and he was doing the best he could. Ric wasn't from Wyoming originally, having grown up in Mystic Falls until he was 18 before heading west to try his hand at ranching. He sure as hell wasn't expecting to be in charge of a ranch.

Damon and Stefan hadn't changed one bit either. Damon was still impulsive and eager, while Stefan was kind and patient. Their personalities fit their futures perfectly.

"I need to talk to you two about something" Ric said, setting his spoon down.

Stefan and Damon both looked at each other and then at Ric. He looked serious. "We're listening" Damon said.

"We will be having a guest stayin' with us for a little while" Ric announced.

"What kind of a guest?" Damon questioned. They hadn't had a guest in quite some time.

"Well, her name is Elena …" Ric began.

"A female guest" Damon grinned. "How old? Maybe it will be Stefan's lucky year and he can get laid" Damon announced, smacking his little brother on the back.

Stefan glared at him, as did Ric. "No one will be laying with anyone" he warned. "Elena is the niece of a close friend of mine back home in Virginia. Elena will be staying the entire year with us, which means she will be going to school with Stefan and helping out on the ranch" he added.

"So she is Stefan's age" Damon smiled. "There you go buddy. Maybe you got a shot at this one" he said, laughing at his own comment.

Stefan punched Damon in the side. "Why is she coming to stay with us?" Stefan asked curiously.

Ric sighed. "She's going through a rough time right now and her aunt thinks it will be good for Elena to start fresh someplace new. So I expect you both to be the gentlemen I know you are and help Elena out while she is here" he said, eying them both carefully.

Damon rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "Sorry Ric, but I got too much on my plate to be babysittin' some girl who probably has never set foot on a ranch" he told him. "So, I'm leaving this one up to you, little brother" Damon announced. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have cattle to feed" he said, standing up from the table to clear his plate. He grabbed his hat on his way out.

"I'm counting on you Stefan" Ric said, leaning on the table. He knew he couldn't count much on Damon. "Jenna means a lot to me and she is asking for my help with Elena" he admitted.

"Does Elena even want to come stay with us?" Stefan asked cautiously.

Ric just smiled. "She's … on the fence about it still" he replied, meaning, hell no. Ric was well aware that Elena Gilbert would give them all a run for their money. "I think I'm turning in early tonight" he said, standing to take his plate away.

"When can we expect her?" Stefan asked, taking a sip of his milk.

"Tomorrow" Ric said, and Stefan spit his milk out, eying him with disbelief.

"Tomorrow?" Stefan asked.

"You can come with me to pick her up at the airport" he said. "I'd sure appreciate it." With that, Ric left the room.

Stefan sat back and sighed. Tomorrow, while it was Saturday and he didn't have school, was supposed to be his time to work with his new horses. On top of his ranch chores. But Ric needed him, and seeing as how Ric had done a hell of a lot for him, Stefan couldn't justify saying no.

Besides, maybe this Elena girl wasn't going to be so bad.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Jenna knocked lightly on Elena's door, having seen the light under her door. She opened Elena's door after not receiving an answer. Elena was at her desk, her journal open and a pen moving back and forth as Elena thought about what she wanted to write. "I talked with Ric today" Jenna said, trying to sound as friendly as she could so as not to start a fight. "He's excited to see you tomorrow. I think you're going to love the ranch you'll be staying on. They have a lot of horses and …"

"Would you stop?" Elena asked, turning towards her aunt and pinning her with her annoyed stare. "Do you think I care about Ric or some stupid horses?" she asked.

Jenna remained quiet for a moment, already fearing that she had set Elena off. Which wasn't hard to do anymore. "What happened to us, Elena?" Jenna asked sadly. "We used to do everything together. We used to talk" she reminded her, feeling a few fresh tears form. She just wanted her niece back.

Elena scoffed. "What happened? You became a neurotic control freak dead set on ruining my life" Elena told her. "I would expect this from Uncle John, but you?" Elena asked. "You're quite the disappointment lately."

The hatred that colored Elena's words made Jenna sick to her stomach. "I am not trying to ruin your life!" Jenna said, raising her voice at her. "I'm trying to be a responsible parent figure and raise you two" she reminded.

"They're dead, Jenna!" Elena snapped at her. "I don't need you to replace them. I don't need you telling me what to do and worrying about me all the damn time!" Elena said as she slammed her journal shut and walked past Jenna to leave.

Jenna stepped out into the hallway as Elena was going down the stairs. "I hope one day you realize how much I love you!" Jenna called after her, not bothering to fight the tears that were already falling. The front door slammed shut and Jenna jumped slightly, desperately feeling like a failure. Her own niece hated her.

"Aunt Jenna" Jeremy said softly, rubbing his tired eyes as he stepped out of his room and into the hallway.

Jenna sighed sadly and wiped at her eyes before turning around. "Hey kiddo" she said, walking towards him. "What are you doing out of bed sleepy head?" she asked with a small smile.

"I heard you guys fighting again" he told her.

She bent down to his level and brushed his messy hair off of his forehead. "I'm sorry we woke you up" she said, frowning. "Hey, I need to tell you something" she said. "Elena is going to go away for a little while tomorrow" she told him. "She's going to go stay with a friend of mine. He has lots of horses and farm animals" she said.

Jeremy smiled at the mention of animals. "Can I go too?" he asked.

Jenna laughed. "Not yet" she told him. "But maybe we will go and see Elena sometime" she added.

"Okay" he smiled contently. Such an easy going kid for what he had been through. What he was still going through. "Can you read a story with me?" he asked. He already had one picked out.

"You bet" she said, leaning in and kissing his head. "You go and get the book all ready and I will be in in a few minutes" she promised.

Jeremy smiled as he ran back into his room and jumped onto his bed. Jenna smiled as she watched Jeremy. She hadn't lost him, but she was scared that she had lost Elena.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Here" Ric said, handing Stefan a large cup of coffee as he got back in the truck. "We'll stop for a late breakfast after we pick Elena up. I reckon she'll be hungry" he said, putting the truck into drive and pulling away from the small diner in town.

"That's fine" Stefan said, messing with the radio to find a country station he liked. "Have you ever met Elena?" Stefan asked curiously, trying to see if he could get a better picture of who Elena was.

"A few times, when she was a baby" Ric told him. "When I moved out here, Jenna and I stayed in contact and she'd send me pictures and updates and what not" he explained.

"So, you and Jenna …" Stefan said, not bothering to hide the grin he had on his face.

Ric just laughed. "No. We weren't involved, if that's what you're askin' me" he told him. "We're just really good friends." And he missed her like crazy.

Stefan knew that Ric felt something a little stronger than friendship for this Jenna person, but he was going to let it go. For now. Because it was a long drive to the airport and a nap sounded pretty damn good to him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan and Ric were waiting by the baggage claim, dressed like most of the other men in there. A plaid shirt, blue jeans, a belt and buckle and cowboy boots. Stefan had no idea what to expect, but he figured he would know her when he saw her. Most of the people coming through were families though.

Stefan glanced up at Ric who was anxiously waiting for Elena. "Maybe she didn't get on the plane" Stefan said, not seeing anyone else coming.

"Believe me, I tried not to" came Elena's fiery attitude from behind them. Both whipped around to find her standing before them, looking none too pleased. "My flight arrived an hour ago" she said, crossing her arms.

"My apologies" Ric told her. "I'm Ric. I assume Jenna gave you the details" he said, holding out his hand to shake hers.

Elena gave him a snotty look and ignored his hand. Then she glared at Stefan. "Who the fuck are you?" she asked. Clearly, the girl wasn't shy.

Stefan was caught off guard by her hostility towards him. "This is Stefan. He lives on the ranch, well, owns it really" Ric explained. "And you'll meet his brother Damon when we get back."

Elena looked Stefan up and down. "Don't you speak?" Elena questioned him.

With her upfront hostility and her absolute beauty, the cat really had gotten his tongue. He never liked to think of himself as one of those guys who chased girls for their looks, but with her long dark brown hair and her long tan legs, he was intrigued. "I do, Miss Gilbert" he said, holding his hand out for her. "Like Ric said, I'm Stefan. Welcome to Wyoming" he said.

Elena was still looking at him with irritation and she didn't take his hand. "Keep it" she told him. "I hear you rednecks out here put your hands up cows' asses" she informed them. "So I'd rather keep my hands to myself." She slung her purse over her shoulder and then pointed. "My bags are over there" she said, walking towards the exit and expecting them to follow.

Stefan and Ric shared a look. "She's … somethin' alright" Stefan said, quickly grabbing her bags with Ric. He had a feeling that she wasn't going to like being told that flip flops and short shorts weren't suitable for most of the daily ranch activities.

"That she is" Ric sighed. It was going to be one long ass year.

**A/N: Thoughts?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow, there seems to be interest in this story! I am so glad, as horses and the ranch life are a large part of my life. I enjoy writing about this lifestyle with the challenge of adding in an angry young girl who is afraid to get close to anyone.**

**I am going to have Elena face her grief in this story and she's not going to like it. But thank goodness Stefan is around. **

**Your feedback is always appreciated!**

Elena was in her own little world as she sat across the table from Ric and Stefan, typing away like a mad woman on her phone. Stefan leaned over closer to Ric. "Should we tell her now or later that we don't get cell service out at the ranch?" he asked quietly.

Ric studied Elena closely. "Let's let her figure it out on her own" Ric replied. Either way, it wasn't going to be pretty. "So Elena, how was your flight?" Ric asked, attempting to make small talk. Elena just shrugged, too busy with her phone to be bothered with pointless chitchat. Ric reminded himself to be patient with her. "You know Elena, usually when we sit down for meals together, we talk to one another" he mentioned.

Elena looked up from her phone, clearly annoyed. "Is that your way of telling me to put my phone away?" she asked. "Because usually when I am with people, we make direct requests" she said, mocking his earlier comment.

But, she put her phone away, so Ric figured he won the battle. Sort of. "So you're 17 now, right?" Ric asked her. "Same age as Stefan here" he added.

Elena glared at them both, but focused more on Stefan. Stefan swallowed nervously. "If you're trying to set us up, don't waste your time. He's the last person I'd want to date" she said, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. The urge to get back on her phone was intense.

Ric looked at Stefan apologetically. "That's not what I was tryin' to do" Ric clarified. "I just thought that since you two would be goin' to school together that it might be nice if you two spent some time gettin' to know one another." Stefan was by far the best person when it came to dealing with Elena. He was patient and gentle.

Stefan decided he had better speak up. "If you're up for it tomorrow, I could take you trail riding" he offered. "Show you 'round the property a bit" he added.

Elena laughed. She laughed at him. "You think I want to get on one of those smelly animals and go riding with you?" she asked. "I have a life, Stefan. And yes it has been interrupted because my aunt has lost her mind sending me out here, but I can resume it somewhat with this wonderful device" she said, picking her phone back up and shaking it at them. She went back to whatever conversation she was having on that phone of hers.

Ric just sighed again, giving up for the time being. They'd been with her for 30 minutes and he was already ready to give her back.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As soon as Elena got out of the truck and her feet hit the ground at the ranch, she moved her sunglasses on top of her head and looked around. Open. Space. "What in the hell is this?" she asked slowly.

Ric walked around the truck and grabbed her bags out of the back for her. "Home" he said, smiling as he looked around. He loved it out there.

"Fuck me" she muttered, catching Stefan's surprised look. Then her grumpy look softened. "Not in your lifetime" she told him, allowing her snotty attitude to resurface. Stefan tried not to take it personally. He wasn't planning on sleeping with her either. "Where is the nearest Starbuck's?" Elena asked. She needed an iced vanilla latte like her life depended on it.

Stefan shoved his hands nervously in his pocket. "The nearest Starbuck's is in Laramie" he told her.

She looked at him annoyed. "And where the hell is Laramie?" she asked. Did she look like she knew the place?

"A good 40 minutes away" Ric said.

Elena's mouth gaped open. "Are you frigging kidding me?" she asked in disbelief. "God" she said, placing her hand on top of her head. "The next think you're going to tell me is that the mall is an hour away" she said.

Stefan grinned. He never did understand those girls who had to go shopping at malls all the time. "Well the nearest mall is in Cheyenne and that's an hour and a half away" he said.

Elena threw her hands up in air. "My life is over!" she exclaimed dramatically.

"You'll survive, buttercup" Damon said, trotting up on his horse from behind them. Elena looked up to see a dark-haired young guy hiding under a cowboy hat. "The name's Damon" he said, extending his hand to her. She refused it. "Well alright then. We have a year to get to know each other. I look forward to it" he said, winking at her. "Welcome to Rock River" he said, tipping his hat before kicking his horse and riding off.

Elena crossed her arms as she watched him. He was charming, that was for sure. "I'm goin' to make sure he's doing what he's supposed to be doing" Ric said, nodding towards Damon. "Stefan, you'll show her to her room?" he asked.

Stefan nodded. He grabbed two of Elena's bags with ease and began walking towards the ranch house. It was a large log built structure with a wraparound porch and a swing. In any other circumstance, Elena would have thought the house was beautiful. "Elena?" Stefan asked, turning back and seeing that she wasn't following.

Elena sighed, forcing her feet to move. "I'm coming" she told him. She followed a few paces behind him, looking around the area. A large red barn sat a few hundred yards away and a handful of chickens were pecking around in front of it.

There were a few horses standing in a pen with their heads thrown over the gate, calling out for them to come and give them attention. "Later!" Stefan called over his shoulder at them. This only made them whinny louder as he disappeared into the house.

"They yours?" Elena asked as she followed him inside.

Stefan smiled. "The red one is. The other two are going back to their owners soon" he told her.

"What, are you babysitting them?" Elena asked, trying to sound as if she didn't care, but she was curious. He was kind of quiet and mysterious and she felt the need to prompt him in to talking.

Again, he smiled. "No. I train them. They're barrel horses and they will go back to their girls. They just needed some tune-ups" he explained. Elena was somewhat familiar with barrel racing. She had gone to one rodeo in her life.

"Girls?" Elena asked, following him up the stairs.

"Yeah. They are sisters who each own a horse. They're ten and thirteen. They compete all over at local rodeos" he told her, entering one of the guest bedrooms. "The white one developed a bucking habit at the start and the paint shies away from the last barrel" he added, not sure if she was interested, but he was going to tell her anyway. "They're doing much better now though. And there will be two happy little girls coming to pick them up." That was probably the most rewarding part of his job. Helping kids and their horses reconnect. Stefan set her bags down near her bed. "Well, this is your room" he said. "The bathroom is here" he said, walking across the room and opening a door. "We share a bathroom. I'm right on the other side."

"Lovely" she said at the thought of sharing a bathroom with a guy. She dropped her purse on the bed and turned in a slow circle. It was a good size room, but had a God awful looking bedspread.

"Can I get you anything?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah, an iced vanilla latte would be great" she said, smiling nicely for a second before rolling her eyes and glaring at him.

"I'll be outside if you need anything" he said, taking his cue that she wanted to be left alone.

Elena heard him leave. She sat on her bed and sighed. The sun was out, at least. But all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep. Elena grabbed her phone out of her pocket, needing to text her friends and let them know how much her life officially sucked. The phone told her there was no service and Elena felt panic hit her. "No" she said, standing and walking towards the window. "No no no!" she yelled. There was no way in hell she was going to be without service. She would die. And fast.

Elena ran out of her room and flew down the stairs until she was outside. She tried her phone again and still, there was no service. "Stefan!" she yelled, searching desperately for him. She knew he had to be around somewhere. "Stefan!" she continued to yell.

There was a new truck in the driveway and two young women hanging around Stefan and Damon behind it. All eyes were on her as she stormed across the yard towards them. "What's wrong?" Stefan asked.

Elena stopped abruptly and held her phone out to him. "It doesn't work" she said, grinding her teeth as she spoke. The two young women laughed. "Is something funny?" Elena asked, whipping around to face them. Both were wearing a white cowboy hat, tight jeans, a leather belt with a shiny silver buckle and cowboy boots. Cowgirls. Lovely. Just what Elena needed in her growing crisis.

Rebekah smiled. "No one gets cell service out here" she told Elena, wrapping her arm around Damon.

Katherine was still laughing. "Where'd you find her?" she asked, coming up to Stefan and leaning against him as she continued to laugh.

"This is Elena" Stefan said, introducing her. "Elena, this is Rebekah and Katherine. They both live down the road" he added.

Elena was not amused. She didn't care about Rebekah and Katherine. "Can I speak with you privately?" she asked, biting her tongue so as not to snap on him.

Stefan looked nervously at Katherine, who he knew was going to tease him for being so soft on Elena. He always was so kind towards others. "Hurry back" Katherine said sweetly, batting her lashes at him. "It was nice to meet you, Elena" she added, smirking at her.

Elena ignored her as she grabbed Stefan by the arm and dragged him behind the barn. "How come you didn't tell me there was no service out here?" she asked harshly.

Stefan looked at her blankly. "Was I supposed to?" he asked. When had that become his job?

"A little heads up would have been nice" she said angrily. "I can't call. I can't text. Even worse, I can't use Facebook or Twitter!" she snapped.

Stefan looked at her confused. "A what book?" he asked. What the hell was a Facebook? He couldn't even remember the second thing she said.

Elena raised her eyebrow at him. "Facebook? You don't have a Facebook?" she asked in disbelief. "You know, social networking and shit?" she asked.

"No" he shrugged. "I spend all my time outside with the horses" he told her. That was all the entertainment he needed. "I'm sorry your phone doesn't work" he said, trying to make things right.

Elena threw her hands up in defeat. "Yeah, well not as sorry as I am" she said, shaking her head.

"Well, hey. Since I have you out here, maybe I can show you the chores you will be doin' while you're stayin' here" he offered. Ric and he had come up with a whole list of things Elena could do.

"Chores?" Elena asked. She was 17 years old. Did it look like she did chores?

"Yeah. Like gatherin' the chicken eggs, muckin' stalls and helping feed the animals" he told her. It was a pretty light chore list compared to what he and Damon had to do every day.

"How about no" Elena replied. "If you guys want to play farm out here, that's your business. But I don't do animals, Stefan. And I sure as hell don't deal with their shit" she told him, backing away and turning to leave.

"Elena" Stefan said, reaching out to grab her arm.

As soon as he made contact, she jerked her arm away. She almost looked surprised that he would touch her. "Don't you dare touch me ever again" she warned dangerously. It wasn't fear so much as it was uncertainty.

Then she was gone.

Stefan stood where she had left him, at a complete loss on how to coexist with her on any level. She was angry and she didn't want to be there. But she was going to make their life hell so long as she had to stay there.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena didn't come down for dinner and Stefan knew that Ric was irritated. But he kept quiet about it. They all sat in uncomfortable silence.

"So Elena" Damon said eventually. "She's got spunk" he grinned, sitting back in his chair and chewing on a green bean. "That's a shame she's so pretty. I was hopin' Stefan might actually have a chance with her" he added. Stefan glared at his brother. He wasn't interested in Elena. Not like that anyways. But Damon always pressured him because Damon had been with Rebekah since he was 16 and thought that Stefan needed a steady girlfriend too.

"Damon …" Ric warned.

"What?" he asked innocently. "You fixin' to be alone the rest of your life with your horses?" he asked. "Katherine's been pinin' away for you lately. You ever goin' to give her a chance?"

Stefan let his fork fall on his plate. "I think I'm going to go and check on the horses" he said, standing with his plate.

Damon and Ric watched him leave. Then Ric threw a roll and watched it bounce off of Damon's forehead. "What was that for?" he asked defensively. "It ain't my fault Steffie's so sensitive" he grinned.

"Leave your brother alone" Ric told him. "He's not like you" he reminded, getting up from the table. "I've got bookkeeping to do." Damon just shook his head as he watched Ric leave. Somebody had to give Stefan a hard time. And technically, it was Damon's job as the older brother.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena could only pout for so long before she got bored in her room. She poked her head out of the door and listened. The house was quiet. It was three hours past dinner time and she thought maybe everyone had gone to bed.

She snuck downstairs and out the front door, determined to find something to do. As soon as she made it across the yard towards the barn, she heard the light strumming of a guitar. The closer she got, the clearer she could hear it.

Just outside the barn door, she poked her head in and could see Stefan sitting on a bale of hay in the corner. He was shirtless with the guitar across his lap. He wasn't singing, but his playing was flawless.

The horses were watching him as hay dangled from their mouths. She leaned even more so she could see him completely. In just his jeans, his boots and a white cowboy hat, she felt her cheeks warm. He sure was a sight to see. She wouldn't deny it. He was hot. But that didn't mean anything. She still hated him and the whole ranch.

She felt the barn door push forward and it creaked, causing Stefan to stop playing and look up. He looked right into her eyes and she felt mortified that he had caught her watching him. Quickly, she jumped back from the door and turned back for the house. She ran as fast as she could, determined to get back to her room.

When she did finally make it, she shut the door quietly and got under the covers, pretending to be asleep just in case he came by to confront her.

About ten minutes later, she heard light footsteps coming up the stairs. Her heart pounded in her chest as she listened. The footsteps stopped outside of her bedroom door and she mentally prepared herself for what she would say to him. How he sucked at playing guitar and the reason she was out there was because she could hear the ruckus from her window. All lies, but she didn't want him to think she was starting to soften towards him. The footsteps continued after a moment and Elena felt herself breath again. When his bedroom door shut, she allowed herself to relax.

Though, she'd have to deal with him tomorrow.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Unfortunately, Stefan was the least of her problems currently. "Hey" Damon said, barging right into her room. Elena pretended to be asleep. "Get up. I need you to open the gates for me so I can feed the cattle" he informed her. When she didn't move, he grabbed ahold of the comforter and yanked it off of her.

"Excuse you!" Elena said angrily, sitting up. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she asked. Her hair was sticking up everywhere and when she glanced at the clock, she couldn't believe it was five in the morning. On a Sunday.

"Gettin' you up" he told her. "The cows are waiting for breakfast and the time it takes to feed will be cut in half if you open and close the gates for me" he told her. It was part of her chore list.

"I'm not even awake yet" she told him sourly.

Damon shrugged. "You'll wake up fast" he said.

Elena groaned and buried her face with her pillow, intent on ignoring him.

So when she felt him grab around her ankles and pull her towards him, she kind of figured that ignoring him wasn't going to be as easy as she had hoped. "Stop it!" Elena yelled.

"Are you going to get up?" Damon asked, pausing.

"Hell no" Elena said angrily.

"Fine then" he said, tugging on her again until she was closer to him. Elena watched in disbelief as he wrapped his arms around her and picked her up. No matter how much she kicked him or struggled, he still got her down the stairs and out the front door in her pajamas.

"You're a dead man!" she yelled at him.

"We'll see buttercup" he grinned, continuing to carry her towards the truck he drove into the fields to deliver the hay.

"Stop calling me that!" she yelled. When he got to the truck, he put her inside of it and shut the door.

Stefan came running over, having seen his brother hauling Elena across the yard. "What's going on?" Stefan asked, somewhat concerned. Elena had sounded upset.

"What's going on?" Elena asked angrily as she got out of the truck. "Your pathetic brother dragged me out of bed, that's what's going on!" she informed him.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Not my fault you refused to get up. I have a schedule to keep" he reminded.

Stefan looked at him disapprovingly. "It's only her second day here" he said, defending her. Elena was a little caught off guard that he would stick up for her like that. She hadn't exactly been pleasant to him.

"So" Damon stated. He didn't see the issue with making her get up and help out.

Stefan sighed and turned to Elena. "Why don't you go back to bed, and I'll help my brother this morning" he told her.

Damon scoffed with disgust. "You're only babying her because you have a thing for her" he accused. With that, Damon got in his truck and slammed the door.

"Don't do me any favors" Elena spat at Stefan. "I don't need them" she said, marching herself back towards the house. The front door slammed shut behind her. And Damon sped out of the driveway, leaving Stefan feeling frustrated.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena had showered and gotten herself awake, but she sure as hell wasn't going to go out and do her chores. She was angry as hell and her aunt was going to hear about it the first chance she got.

She glanced at the clock. It was just past noon and she was starting to get hungry. But she wasn't going to go downstairs with those people. She'd sooner starve.

So she sat on her bed and looked around the room again. Maybe she could find a book to read somewhere. A few minutes later, a light tap on her door appeared. She tensed, ready to argue and be defensive with whoever it was. Probably Ric, telling her she needed to get outside and help out.

When she didn't answer, the door opened and Stefan appeared. "I didn't say you could come in" she informed him.

"I know" Stefan told her quietly. "I ugh, I just wanted to apologize for my brother's behavior earlier this morning" he said. " And I brought you this" he added, bringing into view a Starbuck's cup. "I had to go to Laramie this morning for feed supplies and I stopped by a Starbuck's. Iced vanilla latte, right?" he asked. Elena nodded, clearly speechless. "Good" he said, handing it to her. "I kept it in ice in a cooler so it should still be good. I'll let you know the next time I go so you can come with if you want and get it fresh" he told her.

Elena looked down at the cup and as hard as she tried not to, she felt a tad guilty for the way she had been treating him. But not guilty enough to apologize. "Thanks" she mumbled.

He nodded with a small smile before turning around to leave. "Oh, I also finished up your chores this morning. I'll do them the rest of the week while you get settled" he told her. With that, he left, figuring he had overstayed his welcome when it came to conversing with her.

Elena watched him disappear down the steps before she tasted her coffee. Instantly, she felt her body relax.

But then she remembered, it was Stefan's kind act that had done that.

**A/N: Uh oh Elena. Don't go starting to like Stefan. : )**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you all for your interest in this story. It is different from Through Rivalry Comes Love, so I appreciate you all giving this story a chance. **

**Stefan is going to kill Elena with kindness. Sooner or later, Elena has to give in, right? ;) **

Elena's eyes shot open when she heard someone call her name. She sat up immediately, startled, and pulled her comforter over herself. "Excuse you" Elena said rudely as Ric let himself into her room. She glared at him. Then she glanced at her clock and glared twice as hard. "Do you realize it is six in the morning?" she asked him. She slept in until at least seven back home.

"You have school today" he informed her, ignoring her deathly glares.

Elena scoffed. "I'm not going the last two weeks" she informed him. It was a giant waste of her time. School in general was a giant waste of time.

Ric crossed his arms. "Look Elena. You may have been able to walk all over your aunt, but I don't put up with it. I said you are goin' to school, therefore, you are goin' to school" he told her. He was used to being tough on Damon and thankful that Stefan didn't give him much of a hard time. Elena though. She was a whole new challenge if he did say so himself.

Elena crossed her arms to mock him. Who did he think he was? "And how do you suppose you are going to make me?" she asked, challenging him. Rarely did anyone make her do anything.

He loved a good challenge. "I reckon I can hog tie you, throw you in the back of my pickup and dump you off in front of the school. Is that really how you want to make an entrance, bein' new and all?" he asked. By that point, she was seething, hearing him say he was going to do that to her. He didn't care though. He didn't have time to stand around and watch her get angry. "You have two options to get to school" he continued. "You can ride with Stefan, or you can ride the bus" he informed.

Elena's look could have killed him. But she wasn't sure how serious his threat was about hog tying her up and taking her to school. "I'll take the bus" she said with a snarky attitude. Like she wanted to be seen showing up with Stefan. It would be a horrible way to start her reputation.

"Fine" he shrugged. "But you're lookin' at an hour and a half bus ride both ways" he added. Her face paled. That long of a bus ride? "You go on and get yourself up then. And I don't want no trouble from you at school. If you get sent home, believe me young lady, I got plenty for you to do 'round here." With that, he left her room.

Elena fell back into her pillows and groaned. He was such a dictator. She hated him already and she had only been there a few days.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ric walked out to the barn, hoping to catch Stefan in the act. Which he did. "You" he said, pointing at Stefan. Stefan immediately froze in the stall he was cleaning. "Tell me I don't see you doin' Elena's chores for her?" he asked in disbelief. Stefan looked guilty as hell as he looked down at his boots. Ric said a few curse words before sighing. "She's supposed to be learnin' responsibility. How's she gonna do that when you're doin' everything for her?" he asked. Was he surprised? Hell no. Stefan was the kind of guy who would do anything to help someone out. Add on the fact that Elena was an attractive young girl his age and Ric figured Elena could take advantage of Stefan's kindness and generosity real fast.

"I was just helpin' her out this week" Stefan said quickly. That was his best defense. That was his only defense.

Ric eyed him with his disapproval. "I know you mean well, Stefan" he sighed. "But the best help you could give her is standin' behind me. What I say goes, Stefan. She needs structure and someone bein' strict with her." Stefan nodded. That was Ric's way since Stefan could remember. "Just hurry up and finish" Ric said, finding it hard to be so mad at him. Stefan was such a good guy and Ric hoped some of that good would rub off on Elena. "Elena's ridin' with you" he added before turning to leave the barn.

Stefan finished up the barn chores and hurried back inside to clean up. Elena eventually came downstairs, wearing a pair of short shorts, a tank top and a pair of flip flops. She had her purse on her shoulder and a pair of sunglasses perched on top of her head. Stefan's eyes were glued to her, which she noticed. "Are you going to keep mentally picturing us fucking or can we go?" she asked, not amused with him or the start to her day.

Stefan choked on the sip of coffee he had taken. Again with her vulgar mouth. He didn't know if he was ever going to get used to that. "I wasn't …" he said quickly, trying to clear himself of any wrong doing. He mentally kicked himself for looking at her chest as he said it. It was just … was she really going to wear that low cut of a tank top to school?

Elena rolled her eyes, catching him looking at her. Elena cupped under her breasts with her hands and pushed them up slightly to emphasize her point. "They're just breasts Stefan. I know you haven't had much experience with them, but that doesn't mean you need to fantasize about mine" she told him. "For God sakes, my shirt wasn't even off" she muttered. The guy was pathetic.

"I didn't mean …" he said, only to be cut off by her again.

"Save it" Elena said, holding up her hand. "Let's get this day over with" she told him, turning around and walking out the front door.

Stefan swallowed hard and picked up his hat to follow her out. He was so embarrassed.

Elena was digging through her purse when she saw a large gray truck coming up the driveway. She stopped when she saw a curly haired brunette jump out of the truck that was entirely too big for her. Elena couldn't remember her name, but recognized her as that one bitch who had laughed at her the day before. Kim … Kayla … Katie.

"Katherine?" Stefan asked. Elena turned around to see Stefan carrying a few books as he approached them. "What are you doing here?" he asked, standing next to Elena.

Katherine smiled brightly. "I thought I would give you a ride to school today. As a way to repay you for all those times you've given me a ride" she said sweetly. She even had that sparkly twinkle in her eyes.

Elena made a disgusted face. Was this girl Katherine trying to flirt? Elena waited for Stefan to answer. So help her, if he ditched her, she would freak out on him. "Sorry Kat, not today. It's Elena's first day today and I am going to give her a ride to school" he explained, politely turning down Katherine's offer.

Elena smirked. "Yeah, he's giving me a ride" she practically taunted. Elena detected a hint of disappointment in Katherine's eyes. That and annoyance.

But Katherine didn't show it. "Maybe next time" she smiled. Then, she looked at Elena. "See you at school" she told her, sizing her up once again before heading back to her truck.

Stefan and Elena waited until Katherine was gone before speaking. "She's a nice girl if you would give her the chance" Stefan said, leading the way to his truck.

"Then why aren't you two hooking up?" Elena asked, clearly irritated with Stefan trying to sell Katherine.

Stefan smiled. "Because when Katherine graduates this year, she's going on the rodeo circuit. She'll be travelling all over the country and Canada. And I'll still be here" he answered, opening Elena's door for her.

Elena looked at him briefly before getting in his truck. He shut the door and went around to get in. "Doesn't mean you can't have fun while you're both still here" she told him. Though the thought of them fooling around was nauseating.

Stefan started up the truck and looked over at her. "I'm not that kind of a guy" he told her. His declaration was so honest that it made her feel bad for him.

Elena laughed. "What, are you like one of those guys who only wants to be with one woman the rest of your life?" she asked. Lame.

"Yes" he told her with a small smile. Elena rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as she sat back in the seat. He was such a bore.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The first half of the school day had gone fine. Elena was completely bored and spent most of her time staring out the window. The school was ridiculously small. Probably five rooms total in the building. To make matters worse, two of the three classes that morning were with Stefan. History and math. She hated both.

Stefan had sat by her, but she was intent on ignoring him. She also didn't want to be his partner during group work, having chosen someone else to work with. Yet he still hovered and she was getting pissed off.

So at lunch time, she thought she could escape him. She was at the other end of the lawn and saw that Stefan was sitting with Katherine and some other people she had seen in class. Good. He was preoccupied.

Elena took her headphones out of her purse along with her phone, dead set on escaping the world for half an hour.

A few minutes later, her sun had disappeared and when she opened her eyes, she saw Stefan standing over her. "Can I help you?" she asked, pulling one ear bud out.

Stefan sat down next to her and ignored her glare. "Do you want to get something from the cafeteria?" he asked her. He noticed that she hadn't brought anything from home. Probably his fault. He hadn't offered or packed her anything.

"I didn't bring any money" she stated frankly. Jenna was supposed to send money to Ric every month for her basic expenses, but she hadn't seen any of it yet.

Stefan reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He pulled out some cash and offered it to her. "Here" he said.

She looked at him for a moment before looking away. "If I took that, I'd feel like I had to repay you. And sex is really all I have to repay you with right now" she told him. Then she smirked. "Bet you're wishing you weren't a one-woman man now, huh?" she asked, standing up and leaving him.

Stefan sighed, stuffing the money back in his wallet. She was by far the most complicated woman he had ever met. He got up and followed her.

Katherine decided to make her presence known again, standing up and stepping in front of Elena as she tried to walk by. "You need to move" Elena told her. She really had had enough of Katherine.

Katherine smiled. "Stay away from Stefan" she told her. Elena smiled. So Katherine was jealous. "He deserves a lot better than some at risk youth with anger issues" she told her.

"What did you call me?" Elena asked, becoming defensive almost immediately, stepping closer to Katherine's face.

Katherine smirked. "You heard me. Stefan likes real women. Cowgirls, more specifically" she informed.

Why Katherine's comment had stung, Elena didn't know. She honestly hadn't felt anything like that in quite a while. "I would never want to be anything like you" Elena told her coldly. "You think that because you can ride a horse that you're something special?" she asked.

"Oh, I am pretty damn special" Katherine smiled. "Ask. Stefan" she said, staring Elena down.

Elena felt the anger in her unleash as she reached her arms out and shoved Katherine. Katherine stumbled back and her friends stood up to help. "You bitch" Elena told her. "You have no idea who I am!" she yelled.

By that point, she could feel someone grab her arms, holding her back. Stefan. "Stop Elena!" he told her, beginning to drag her backwards as she continued to try and go after Katherine. Stefan was not sure what Elena was capable of, but he knew what Katherine could do. She had a mean right hook if provoked.

"Let go of me!" Elena said, trying to get out of Stefan's hold. It was embarrassing for him to be manhandling her like this when she was about ready to show Katherine who was boss.

"Not a chance in Hell" he told her. He had her in the parking lot and behind his truck before he finally did let go of her, but he was not about to let her go back towards Katherine.

"What is wrong with you?" she yelled at him.

"Me?" Stefan asked defensively. "It's your first day here and you're already trying to hurt people" he said.

She was huffing with anger as she stared at him like he had lost his mind. "Yeah, it's all my fault" Elena said angrily. "Oh course your perfect little cowgirl couldn't possibly be at fault" she told him, feeling herself start to get upset. Yes, Katherine had gotten to her.

Stefan's expression softened when he detected that hint of being attacked in Elena's voice. "What did she say to you?" he asked.

Elena just crossed her arms and shook her head. "Nothing" she said defiantly. "I want to go back to the ranch" she told him. This school thing wasn't working out. She had absolutely nothing in common with anyone and on top of it all, she had to see Katherine.

Stefan sighed. "I can't take you home. I have to be in class today" he told her.

"Great" Elena muttered. "Just fucking great" she said, walking away from the truck.

"Where are you goin'?" Stefan said, following her.

"Back to class" Elena said, annoyed that he was following her. Elena walked past the table that Katherine was sitting at and glared at her before disappearing into the building.

Stefan stopped next to Katherine's table. Katherine smiled as she stood up. "She's got issues, huh?" Katherine asked him sweetly.

"Do me a favor Katherine, and leave her be. You're not helpin' matters any" he told her.

Katherine's mouth gaped open slightly, hearing him talk to her like that. "I was just trying to get to know her" she said innocently.

"She doesn't want you to get to know her. Not yet" he said, beginning to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Katherine asked. They still had ten minutes of lunch left. He ignored her though. He really was upset over what had happened.

He was acting this way because of that new girl. And Katherine didn't like it one bit.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena spent the entire time in her room once she got back to the ranch. Stefan had tried to talk to her and she just put her wall up, being snarky with him and doing everything she possibly could to make him not like her.

Katherine's words replayed in her mind over and over again though. Elena did not like Katherine pointing out how different she was from everyone else. Not that she wanted to be like everyone else, but being thought of as less than them because she couldn't ride a horse pissed her off. She could ride a damn horse if she tried.

And she really wanted to prove that she could to Katherine. That was going to be her new goal the next few weeks or however long she had to deal with Katherine. Prove Katherine wrong.

Ric was clearing dishes when Elena came downstairs. She had skipped dinner again and Ric was starting to get worried. "There's leftovers in the fridge" he told her reluctantly. If the boys did not make it home for dinner, they just didn't eat. Sitting down together for a meal was a big deal for Ric.

"Not hungry" Elena said, on her way to the front door.

"Your aunt called. She wants you to call her back" he told her.

Elena didn't bother to stop as she continued towards the door. "Not interested" she through over her shoulder before disappearing out the front door. Ric bit his tongue, disgusted with the way Elena was treating Jenna. The girl had some nerve.

Elena found Stefan in the round pen working with one of his younger horses. He looked surprised to see her climb up on the fence and watch him. "Hey" he said politely, as if nothing had happened earlier at school.

"Do you give riding lessons?" she asked abruptly, ignoring his greeting.

Stefan looked up at her curiously. "I have in the past. Why?" he asked. Was she going to ask what he thought she was going to ask?

"I want you to teach me how to ride" she told him.

Stefan stopped the horse and walked over towards Elena, climbing up on the fence to be face-to-face with her. She didn't even flinch though. "I can teach you how to ride" he told her.

With Stefan's face mere inches from her own, she found it hard to concentrate. But she did her best. "How much do you charge?" she asked, pretending as though he had no effect on her whatsoever.

Stefan shrugged. "I'm not lookin' to make money off of this" he told her. "But I do want a few things in return."

"Like what?" Elena asked, staring into his eyes. She was just as curious to know what made him tick as he was in knowing what made her tick. "Sex?" she asked, grinning because she thought she was funny.

He ignored her though. "For starters" Stefan said, jumping down off of the fence. "You have to do everything I tell you to do during your lesson. That means no back talkin' or arguin'" he told her.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Fine" she told him.

"And you have to try and make the best out of livin' here for the next year" he added. "Like doin' your chores and being nicer" he explained.

"Nicer?" Elena asked. Was he kidding? "And if I don't do my chores and be nicer?" she challenged.

Stefan shrugged. "Then I won't spend time with you" he told her. It was that simple.

Elena laughed. "You think that is reason enough for me to want to start being nicer?" she asked.

Stefan shrugged again as he got the horse moving around him. "Your call, Elena" he told her. He didn't have to give up valuable time to teach her how to ride. And he really didn't think he was asking that much of her.

Elena scoffed as she rolled her eyes and got down off of the fence. Stefan smiled as she walked away. She didn't get very far though. Elena stopped a few feet from the round pen and reluctantly turned around. "When can we start?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Stefan continued to smile as he asked the horse to lope. "Tomorrow after school is as good of a time as any I reckon" he told her.

"Fine" she told him.

Stefan stopped the horse once again and walked towards the gate, letting himself out. Elena watched as he approached her and she wondered what he was doing. He took his glove off and stuck his hand out, waiting for her to take it. Elena eyed his hand and then looked into his eyes. He wasn't backing down though. She finally took his hand, grimacing at first at the thought of touching such a dirty hand.

Surprisingly though, his hand was clean and soft. Strong, but definitely soft. "I look forward to workin' with you, Miss Gilbert" he said politely, holding onto her hand for a moment longer than he should have before giving her her hand back. With that, he walked past her and grabbed his horse that he had tied to the fence a little ways down.

Elena watched as he effortlessly swung himself up into the saddle. He tipped his hat at her before trotting off.

That was probably the hottest thing she had ever seen, him tipping his hat like that and then riding off.

And she hated that she thought that.

**A/N: Oh Stefan. My sweet, kind, selfless Stefan. He's too good for his own good.**

**I hope he doesn't get hurt : (**


	4. Chapter 4

Elena shuffled her feet down the hall and then down the stairs, rubbing her tired eyes as she did. It was entirely too early to be up, but if she wanted Stefan to give her riding lessons, she knew she was going to have to hold her end of the deal up.

Chores. At the crack butt of dawn.

Stefan was already in the kitchen, drinking coffee. He smiled when he saw her. "Mornin' Elena" he said, grabbing the coffee pot and pouring her a cup.

Elena slumped down into one of the chairs and laid her head on the table. She was exhausted and her day was far from over. When Stefan set her cup of coffee down, she sat up and took a drink. Then nearly spit it out. "This tastes like paint" she said, grimacing as she wiped at her mouth.

Stefan grinned. Everyone around there drank their coffee black. "Sorry" he said, taking her cup back and going to the fridge to add milk. "We'll stop by the store and get creamer one of these days" he said.

"That would be appreciated" she said, taking the coffee back and tasting it. She still grimaced. "Can we get this over with?" she asked, standing up. "I need a shower." And it was going to be a long ass shower too.

Stefan smiled. So, her attitude wasn't much better, but at least she was making an effort to do her chores. "Sure" he said, following her outside. He took note of her flip flops and frowned. Those were not going to do. "Better stop by and get you some boots, too" he told her.

Elena zipped up her sweatshirt and stuffed her hands in her pockets. It was a little chilly that morning. "I wear my flip flops everywhere" she informed him.

Stefan shook his head. "Well, the first time one of them horses steps on your foot, you're gonna be rethinking your footwear" he told her. Because her delicate pink toes were no match for a 1200 to 1500 pound horse.

"Whatever" she said, rolling her eyes as they approached the barn. He stopped, causing her to stop. "What are you doing?" she asked. The faster they got the chores done, the sooner she could get in the shower. He crossed his arms and stared at her. "Seriously, what?" she asked.

"Remember how I said you needed to be nicer?" he asked her. It was a simple request, or so he thought.

She gave him a look of disbelief. "Seriously?" she asked. "Stefan, it is five in the morning and I am about to pick up horse shit. You can't blame me for being in a bad mood" she explained to him. Stefan just stared at her, waiting. He could wait all morning if he had to. "Ugh!" she groaned. "Fine. I'm sorry" she said. "I'll get a pair of boots" she agreed, calming her tone to his liking.

Stefan smiled. "Thank you" he told her, beginning to walk again. They entered the barn and he grabbed the stall rake, handing it to her. "All you have to do is grab the wheelbarrow and park it outside each stall. The horses won't bother you as long as you feed them first" he explained. Then he disappeared behind a wall, coming back with an armful of hay. "We keep the hay back there. Just grab a flake each and a scoop of grain in the bin over there" he told her, tossing each horse a flake of hay. Then he went back for the grain, which they appreciated. Elena watched him as he moved about the barn.

"What if I told you I'm allergic to hay?" Elena asked him, being a smart ass.

Stefan smiled as he turned to look at her. "Then I'd expect the next thing you tell me is you're allergic to horse crap too" he told her.

Elena cracked a smile. Well, sort of. It was as close to a real smile as he had seen since she got there. "You'd be right" Elena told him. She walked to him, standing next to an open stall.

"You get busy on these stalls. I'm going to go and take care of the cows" he said. "You need anything, just yell. I won't be far" he promised.

"Oh goody" she said, though it was more playful than bitchy. Elena watched Stefan leave before grabbing the rake and going into the first stall. She looked at all the piles of poop and sighed. "Really Jenna? You couldn't have sent me to a friend who lived in the tropics?" she asked. She scooped the first pile of poop up, making sure to always know where the horse's back end was. Stefan hadn't mentioned anything about them kicking, but she wasn't going to take any chances either.

Half an hour later, Stefan came back to check on her. She was sweating, but she had cleaned all of the stalls. "I have to do this every day?" she asked. Stefan smiled and nodded. She would die before she even got her inheritance. Maybe that was Jenna's plan all along. "What now?" she asked.

"Follow me" he told her, leading her back out of the barn. He took her straight to the chickens, handing her a small basket nearby. "You just go on in there and collect all the eggs" he said, opening the door for her.

Elena looked at him hesitantly. But he was waiting expectantly. "Do they bite?" she asked him.

It took all he had not to laugh at her. "Chickens peck" he corrected her. "But no, they don't come after you, if that's what you mean" he said.

Elena took the basket and walked inside. It smelled horrific in there. And her flip flops were covered in chicken shit. "This is disgusting" Elena said, reaching for the first egg. She got it, no problem.

Stefan again tried not to laugh at her. He'd never really spent time around a city girl before. "I told you you needed boots" he said.

"Don't start with me Stefan" she told him, walking further into the chicken house. It was then, when she felt something on her toe. Again and again. She looked down to see two chickens pecking at her bright pink toenails. "Stop it" she warned, backing up. They followed her. And four more chickens became interested too. "Stefan!" she screamed. They were going to eat her alive. She knew it. "Stefan!"

"What?" he asked, walking inside. He saw Elena backed up against the wall with six chickens pecking at her feet.

"Get me out of here!" she said frantically. "Ow!" she yelled. Now they were really getting her.

"Go on now" Stefan said, shooing the chickens away from her. They left momentarily, and then came back for her. "They like your toes" Stefan said, not hesitating to pick her up.

And Elena didn't fight him on it. She did cling to him though, afraid he would drop her and the chickens would maul her to death. "You lied" she told him once they were outside.

"They've never attacked before" Stefan shrugged.

Elena glared at him. "Put me down. I need to take a shower" she told him. She was very much aware that he was still carrying her. Effortlessly, she noted.

"Put me down, please?" he asked her, waiting for her to ask him nicely.

"Put me down or I'm going to kick your ass" she told him, attempting to get down. But he wasn't letting go. She was too bossy and uptight for her own good. Just like his horses, he was going to have to break her of it. "Hey" she said as he began walking with her. "What are you doing?" she demanded as he held her over a horse trough full of water.

"Teaching you manners" he told her. "Say please, and I will set you down on the ground. Continue to be nasty about it and I will drop you in the trough."

"You wouldn't" she told him, narrowing her eyes at him. Stefan raised his eyebrow at her, daring her to call his bluff. "Put. Me. Down" she said slowly, with her negative and demanding attitude ever present.

"Okay" he said, letting go of her and backing away as she went splashing into the cold water.

"Ugh!" she yelled, standing up. "What is the matter with you?" she asked angrily, dripping wet.

"I gave you a fair warnin' Elena" he shrugged. "All you had to do was be nice about it" he said, backing away from her and turning to head for the barn.

Yes, he had warned her. And she had called his bluff, only to realize that Stefan Salvatore didn't bluff. An important piece of information to learn for future reference. Well, he was about ready to learn something about her too. "You can fill up the water buckets before you head in" Stefan told her, his back to her as he untangled some rope.

Then he felt a large amount of cold water being dumped on his head, shoulders and back. "Shit!" he yelled in surprise, feeling the cold water soak into his clothes. He turned around to see Elena with an empty bucket and a smirk on her face.

"Didn't expect that, did you?" she asked, completely amused with herself.

And as cold as he was right then, he couldn't help but laugh. "No. No I didn't" he said. "And now, I'm gonna give you a five second head start to the house" he told her, stepping towards her.

She didn't flinch. She stepped towards him too. "And then what?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

"Why Miss Gilbert" he said, taking his wet hat off and shaking the water off of it. "I'm going to show you a pond out back with your name on it" he told her, smiling as he did. Elena rolled her eyes at him, but as soon as he began to count down, she took off running for the house.

And she was fast. He had to give her credit for that. Elena's feet hit the first and second steps of the porch before she felt a pair of hands grab around her waist, pulling her backwards. "No!" she yelled, but by the time he had her, she was laughing. And so was he. He had her almost halfway across the yard when they heard Ric calling for them.

"Hey!" he yelled out the front door. "You two had best be gettin' ready for school" he said.

Their laughing subsided as Stefan set her back down. Stefan smiled as he walked past her. "Next time" he said, pointing at her. He turned around and jogged back towards the house.

Elena felt herself smiling, then mentally cursed herself for it. There was no way that she just had fun with Stefan Salvatore on his boring ranch.

No. Way. In. Hell.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan and Elena hadn't said much to each other at breakfast or on the ride to school. In fact, Elena had napped on the way.

She still ignored him during class, but he reminded himself not to get his feelings hurt. Elena had her wall put up and probably for good reasons. But earlier that morning, he had gotten her to put it down for a few moments when they were having fun in the yard. And she had been such a joy to be around, too.

Elena took an apple out of her purse and sat down on the grass under a tree to eat it. She saw Stefan approaching her, but she didn't give him a sassy attitude when he sat down. "I'm sure your friends would rather you sit with them" she said, looking over and seeing a table full of rodeo guys and gals all looking over at them.

Stefan laid back on the grass and placed his hat beside him. "Sometimes I need a break from all that rodeo talk" he told her.

Elena bit into her apple and stared at him for a moment. "You don't ride in rodeos?" she asked. That was all she ever heard Damon talking about whenever he was around.

"I have" Stefan said. "Ropin' and Bulldoggin'. But I'm not a serious competitor. I enjoy trainin' the rodeo horses more" he admitted.

"Are you afraid you're going to get hurt?" she asked. That would be her worry. That he would get hurt. Not because she cared. But … just because.

"Nah" he said, turning his head to look at her. Then he sat up, intent on showing her something. He lifted his shirt and she saw that perfect chest of his. "See this?" he asked, showing her a faint scar near his ribs. "I got trampled on by a few hundred cows last year on the ranch" he said. "Broke three ribs" he added. Elena scrunched up her face, thinking about how painful that was. He let his shirt down and she inwardly whined. "And this?" he asked, pointing to a small scar above his eye. "Horse kicked me" he told her. "One bit me here" he said, showing her the inside of his wrist. "I get plenty of injuries on the ranch. I ain't afraid of getting' hurt" he concluded. "What about you. Show me your battle wounds" he said like it was show and tell day.

She stared at him for a moment before finally agreeing too. Why, she didn't know. "Here" she said, pointing to her left elbow. "Fell off my bike when I was ten. Six stitches" she informed him. "And here" she, lifting her skirt up dangerously high. He held his breath, because any higher and he was going to be seeing her lady parts. She pointed to a light scar on the inside of her right thigh. "Dog bite when I was 13." That one had hurt. "And this one" she said, pulling down her tank top so he could see her bra just barely. He could see a white patch of skin above her left breast. "Firework got me last year when we were at the lake. I was just wearing a bikini top" she explained.

Stefan swallowed. Hard. It wasn't like he didn't have any experience with girls. But there was something about Elena that did things to him.

Elena grinned. "My breasts really make you uncomfortable, don't they?" she asked him.

"No" he said, clearing his throat. Yes. "I'm uh, I'm going to go to the library" he informed her, standing up. "Meet me at my truck after school" he said.

"Alright" Elena said, letting go of her shirt. She watched him walk away, thinking that messing with him like that was probably the most fun she was going to have.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

When the bell rang, Stefan was leaning against the passenger door waiting for her. "You ready?" he asked when she approached.

"Yes Sir" she said, saluting him.

"Oh, we are being funny this afternoon" he said, opening her door for her.

"Better to be funny than cranky, huh?" she asked, climbing into his truck.

"Yes Ma'am" he agreed, shutting her door and going to the driver's side. "We'll swing by and get you some boots."

"Am I actually going to ride today?" she asked. "Or are you going to make me learn everything on the ground first?"

"Oh you're going to ride" he promised. "You said you wanted to" he reminded her. She was going to need a crash course in riding. Everyone he knew had been riding since they could walk.

It was exciting to think she would be riding in an hour or so. But she got a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach too. What if she really sucked and he gave up on her?

The store they stopped at was … laughable at best. It had fishing gear, horse stuff, and beer. Stefan took her to where the boots were. Two types. One pair for men and one for women. Plain brown. "These are butt ugly" Elena said, pointing at the boots on display.

"They aren't supposed to be pretty" he said, grabbing a pair he thought might fit. "But don't worry, all the mud and horse crap you'll be walkin' through will give them some dazzle" he smiled.

Elena did not look amused, but she took the boots from him and sat down to try them on. "They fit" she informed him, standing up to show him. He nodded. They would work then. "I just can't believe I'm buying ugly boots. Never in my life would I have pictured this day" she told him, clearly upset about it.

"Elena, they're work boots. Everyone around here owns boring, plain boots" he said, normalizing it for her.

"Katherine and all her friends have pretty boots" she said, crossing her arms. Well, she had him there. Katherine and her barrel racing buddies had nicer boots than what he was offering Elena.

"You can't buy any of those here" he told her. "You gotta go to the city for them things" he said, walking away from her and picking up other various items. "You're gonna need one of these" he said, tossing a cowboy hat at her. "And these" he added, tossing a pair of jeans at her.

Elena looked at them disgusted. "No thanks" she said, tossing them back. "I have my own jeans" she said.

Stefan shrugged. "Suit yourself" he told her. "Here" he said, tossing a belt at her. He doubted she had a western belt.

Elena looked at the belt and then over at him. "I want a belt buckle to go with this" she told him.

Stefan smiled. At least she was getting into the spirit of it all. "Nah, you gotta earn a belt buckle" he told her. "Get them boots off. We best be gettin' back if you want to ride" he said, making his way up to the counter. "Two ice teas" he added, grabbing the items from her and setting them up on the counter. He took his wallet out and she noticed he had a lot of cash in there. "Anything else you want?" he asked her.

Elena looked around before grabbing a package of licorice and adding it to the things he was already buying her.

When they were back in the truck, she opened up her licorice and took a bite out of one of them. "Thanks for buying me all that stuff" she said. Even if she thought it was ugly, she supposed that she needed it. She offered him a piece of licorice which he gladly accepted.

"You're welcome" he told her, smiling as he turned up the radio. "You like country?" he asked her.

"I hate it" she replied. Then she leaned over and messed with his stereo, trying to find something she liked. She was breaking the most important rule right then. You never, under any circumstances, messed with a man's radio in his truck. Unless you were his girlfriend. She found some pop station that he never listened to and smiled. "Maroon 5" she said.

Stefan looked at her funny. "What about a moon?" he asked.

Elena rolled her eyes. "No, Maroon 5" she clarified. "They're a band. I went to their concert last summer" she added.

He didn't much care for the music, but it was keeping Elena content. "Did you go to a lot of concerts back home?" he asked, taking a chance that she might want to engage in small talk.

Elena shrugged. "Yeah" she answered. "Do you go to concerts?" she asked.

"We go to rodeos" he said. "But I've been to a concert or two in my day" he added.

"Yeah, like who?" she asked. "Willy Nelson?" she laughed.

"As a matter of fact, yeah" he replied. She was shaking her head at him like he was crazy. "Him and then that pretty blonde girl. I can't ever remember her name" he added. "Always singin' 'bout boys."

"Taylor Swift?" Elena asked in disbelief. "You did not go to a Taylor Swift concert" she said, turning in her seat to see if he was lying or not.

"I sure did" he smiled. And he had survived. "I took Katherine for her birthday two years ago. Not a bad show, but not really my kind of music" he explained.

Elena's smile slowly faded. Katherine. That was a nauseating word. Elena leaned her elbow against the window and looked out, choosing not to continue with the conversation. Elena didn't know why she was letting Katherine get to her so much.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena stood back and watched as Stefan saddled the horse before her. His horse. He had told her that his was the best suited for a beginner rider, because Stefan trusted him. So Elena went with it. Whatever was less likely to have her fall on her face. Elena stepped forward towards the horse, but stopped when she saw Stefan unsaddling the horse. "What are you doing?" she asked. Had he changed his mind about giving her riding lessons?

Stefan slid the saddle off and turned to face her. "You need to know how to saddle your own horse" he told her, passing the saddle off to her.

Elena nearly fell down with the saddle. "Fuck, this thing weighs more than me" she said, struggling to keep a hold on it. Stefan smiled. They were going to need to work on her upper body strength. And her potty mouth. He began walking away from her. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"To get you a bucket to stand on" he threw over his shoulder. There was no way she was going to be able to throw that saddle on the horse from standing on the ground.

"Well can I set this down until you get back?" she asked, starting to break a sweat.

Stefan whipped around. "That is a $4000 saddle in your arms. The only reason it should be on the ground is if you pass out and go down with it" he informed her.

Elena looked at him like he was crazy, but she didn't dare set the saddle down. Stefan resumed his mission to find a bucket while Elena shifted the saddle in her hands, trying to gain a better grip. "Who the hell buys a $4000 chair you set on top of a horse?" she asked herself in disbelief. Sure, it was pretty. But there were a lot more pretty things she would buy with $4000.

Stefan returned with a bucket and set it upside down. "Climb up and throw the saddle on" he instructed.

Elena looked at him like he was crazy, but she wasn't about ready to give up. She took one step and placed her right foot onto the bucket. As soon as she tried to step up, she and the saddle were falling back into Stefan's arms. He steadied her and she gave it another go. It was no use though. Bless the horse for being so patient, but Elena couldn't quite get it. Stefan wasn't going to help though. Not until she asked. Nicely. "I need help" she said, sighing. Elena looked down at him and saw that he was waiting expectantly. She rolled her eyes. Him and his manners. "Please" she added, careful of her tone.

Stefan smiled. "Sure thing" he said, grabbing the saddle from her and throwing it up on the horse like it was a pillow. "Your arms will build a little more muscle the longer you spend on the ranch" he grinned, pinching her arm and the lack of muscle that it had on it.

She yanked her arm away from him, but he could see that she was smiling. Good. She could be teased without having a fit. "Now what?" she asked, stepping down off of the bucket.

Stefan kicked it to the side and came up behind her, his arms reaching around her to help. "See this strap?" he asked. Elena nodded, fully aware of just how close he was to her. Her back was practically flesh against his front. "Loop it through here, back down here, and back up again" he explained. "Then back through this ring here, and tie it just like you would a tie" he said, showing her. When he finished, he undid it and let her try.

She needed a few prompts, but she finally got it. "Like this?" she asked.

Stefan nodded. "Perfect" he told her, moving away from her finally to the front of the horse. "The bridle" he said, grabbing it off of the fence where it was hanging. "You stand to the side of the horse" he said, handing it to her and helping her stand in the right spot. "Right hand holding the top, and your left holding the bit. He'll do all the work after that" he assured her.

Elena took a small breath and did exactly what Stefan said. The horse's head dropped for her and the bit slid into his mouth. Stefan helped her with the headpiece, fitting it over the ears. "After you buckle this strap, you're done" he said.

Elena grabbed the two pieces and went to work on them. "That wasn't so bad" she told him. Except the saddle.

"I'll look into finding you a lighter saddle" he said, handing her the reins. He walked off and Elena stood still, not sure what to do. Was it like walking a very large dog? She heard Stefan laugh. "If you walk, he'll follow" he told her.

Slowly, Elena walked forward, keeping the horse at a safe distance from her. It was like she was taking baby steps and the horse had no idea what was wrong with her. The horse began to out walk her in his hurry to get to Stefan. "Hey stop" she told him.

Stefan walked back towards them, marching up to his horse and making him back. Elena had no choice but to follow. "He shouldn't have walked past you like that. He knows better" Stefan told her.

Elena shrugged when they stopped. "He probably realizes I have no idea what I'm doing" she sighed.

Stefan smiled. "All the more reason for him to behave himself" Stefan replied. "Try again" he encouraged.

Elena stepped forward, waiting for the horse to run past her. He didn't. He stayed right by her. She smiled. Stefan was now keeping track of how many genuine smiles she gave. Elena saw them walk past the arena with the barrels set up. "How come I'm not going to run around the barrels over there?" she asked, pointing.

Stefan smiled. "Because you're not going to be runnin' today" he informed her. The last thing he needed was her falling off and breaking something.

"Why the hell not?" she asked, stopping inside the second outdoor arena that had nothing in it but sand. "You said I was going to get to ride today. So I want to run around the barrels" she said, crossing her arms defiantly.

"You learn the basics first. Walk and trot. Then I'll teach you to go faster and add the barrels in, if you want" he said.

She glared at him until she realized she wasn't going to get her way. "Fine" she said.

Stefan took the reins from her and tied them in a knot before putting them over the horse's head for her. "Okay. Try and get up in the saddle" he said, coming around to help her. "Put your left foot in the stirrup, and grab his mane right here to lift yourself up" he instructed. Elena attempted three times to get her boot in the stirrup with no luck. It was kind of depressing, learning that she wasn't very flexible anymore. Stefan let her struggle for a few moments before he steadied the stirrup and set her boot in it. She made a few attempts to jump up, but couldn't quite get enough momentum.

Elena felt his hand under her ass, giving her a boost up. "Whoa" she said, feeling herself being launched up into the saddle. She gripped the saddle horn tightly as she looked down. She was a ways up there. Stefan checked her stirrup before moving to the other side and sticking her other boot in.

"How's that feel?" he asked.

Elena shook her head. "I want down" she told him. She did not like it one bit.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't like this. I change my mind" she said, attempting to swing her leg back over and get down. Screw Katherine and her riding abilities. Elena wanted no part of it.

But Stefan grabbed her leg and stopped her. "Elena" he said, seeing that she was about ready to start panicking. "Hey" he said, waiting for her to look at him. She did eventually. "I'm right here. I'm not going to let you fall, I promise" he said. "We'll take it nice and slow" he said.

Elena still shook her head. "No. I want down" she repeated.

Stefan knew if he let her get down, she probably wouldn't get back on anytime soon. "Scoot forward" he told her.

"What?" she asked, her voice nearly shaking now.

"Scoot forward" he said, pushing her some. Elena moved further up the saddle and hung on for dear life when she felt Stefan jumping up on behind her. He moved around a bit, settling in closely behind her. He grabbed the reins, with his arms securing her. "I won't let you fall" he assured her, talking into her ear.

Elena shook her head once again. "No" she told him. She really didn't want to cry, but she thought she just might.

"You have to trust me" he told her calmly. "He knows you're new at this. He's not going to do anything that you don't want to do."

Elena closed her eyes and nodded. She hated being so vulnerable like this when her whole goal was to put on a tough act in front of him and everyone else.

"We're going to walk around for a little bit" he said, waiting for her to nod. "Okay?" he asked.

"Okay" Elena said, opening her eyes. She gripped the saddle horn even tighter, until she felt his hands prying her hands off of it and helping her grab the reins instead. He held onto her hands too, though, helping her balance.

"Squeeze lightly with your legs" he said. When his horse started moving forward, he helped her steer him in the right direction so they could walk along the fence line. They probably walked halfway around the arena before he felt her breathe again. "You're doing great" he said, trying to encourage her.

"Am I?" she asked.

He nodded. "You are. I'm going to let go of your hands now" he told her. "If you want him to go left, move your hands to the left and vice versa" he said, helping her for a moment.

"And stop?" she asked. That would be an important one. He leaned in and whispered "whoa" into her ear, knowing if he said it aloud, the horse would stop. Elena shivered, feeling his warm breath against her ear like that. "Whoa" Elena said, and the horse stopped right away.

She gave him a squeeze and he started walking again. She turned him to the left until he was facing the other direction and walking again. "Look at you" Stefan said, smiling at how fast she was catching on.

Elena felt herself smile for the first time since getting up in the saddle. "I think I've got it" she said, turning the horse again.

"I think you do too" he told her.

"Whoa" Elena said, getting the horse to stop. Then she turned some to look back at Stefan. "Okay, get down" she told him. "I can do this on my own."

Stefan smiled and did as she said. "Don't do anything crazy now" he told her, watching her walk off.

Stefan didn't know that Ric was watching them, smiling from the kitchen window as he saw Elena embracing the western lifestyle.

Because Stefan was too busy watching Elena. She looked so proud of herself, and that was a really great feeling for Stefan. She wasn't angry for once. She was genuinely happy.

It was almost two hours later and Stefan felt bad that he had to call it quits on her. She had started to get the horse to trot a little, but the chores weren't going to get done if they stayed out there all night. Elena swung her leg over and Stefan helped her get down. When she was on her own two feet, she winced. "Ow" she said.

"Stiff?" he asked her. She nodded. "Wait until you wake up tomorrow. You're gonna be hurtin' a lot" he said.

"Great" she said sarcastically, doing her best to follow Stefan back to the barn.

When the horse was put away, the chores done and they had eaten dinner, Elena went upstairs to finish some homework and get ready for bed. She heard a light tap on her door and when she turned around to see who it was, Stefan was standing there. "Hey" she said quietly. "Need something?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Just wanted to give you this" he said, walking into her room. "For doing such a great job today" he added.

Elena looked into his hand and saw a silver belt buckle. Her eyes lit up as she grabbed it. "You said I had to earn one" she said, figuring he meant at a rodeo.

Stefan smiled. "You did earn it" he told her. "I won this a few years ago and I don't wear it much. You should have it" he said. He grabbed for the new belt her bought her and took a minute or two to get the buckle on for her. Then he handed it back to her.

"Thank you" she said, running her fingers over the silver buckle.

"You're welcome" he told her. "Goodnight" he smiled, letting himself back out of her room and shutting the door.

Elena continued to hold the buckle while she stared at the closed door. She hated to admit it, but, it was incredibly hard to hate Stefan when he did things like that for her. She smiled again and leaned over to put the belt on her nightstand. She shut off the light and got into bed, staring out at the moon that was filtering in through her bedroom window.

No matter how nice Stefan was to her though, she still couldn't wait to get the hell out of Wyoming.


	5. Chapter 5

Stefan wasn't surprised when he got home Friday after school and found Rebekah riding around in his arena. He parked his truck and cut the engine. Elena hopped out and went straight for the house. She had no interest in Rebekah right then. She was hot and tired and just wanted to change into her shorts and a tank top to lounge around in.

Stefan on the other hand went to greet his guest, watching her closely as she turned around the barrels. When she was finished, he could tell she was frustrated. And for good reason. "Somethin' up?" he asked, climbing up on the fence.

Rebekah slowed her horse down and eventually stopped close to Stefan. "Yeah. The last two weeks have been awful. Our times are slower than they should be and I just feel like we both aren't on the same page" she sighed.

Stefan reached over and pet her horse. "He's lookin' healthy" Stefan told her.

She nodded. "I had him vet checked a few days ago and he got a clean bill of health. I don't know what's wrong" she said. Then she looked at him with her pretty blue eyes and he knew what she wanted. "Could I trouble you to work with us for a little bit and help me figure out what's goin' on?" she asked. "You know I can't pay you" she added.

Stefan knew that. Any and all money she had went into her horse and the rodeo. Keeping up a barrel racing champion and paying for rodeo travel and expenses didn't come cheap. And competing was everything to Rebekah. "I don't take money from family" he reminded her. She and Damon had been dating forever and quite frankly, even if the relationship didn't last, Stefan knew he'd always think of her as his sister.

"Thanks Stefan" she told him. "I appreciate it."

Stefan smiled. "Well, don't think I'm not gonna ask you for somethin' in return now" he told her.

"Okay, let's hear it" she said, smiling.

"I need a smaller saddle for Elena. Do you have one I can borrow for a little while?" he asked her.

"Elena" Rebekah said. "Are you teaching her how to ride?" Rebekah asked. She was smiling at the thought of it.

"Yeah" Stefan said, smiling himself. She was doing really well, too.

"That is adorable" Rebekah gushed, moving her horse closer so she could pinch his cheek. "Look at little ol' Stefan, wooing a girl by giving her riding lessons" she teased.

He swatted at her hand. "I'm not wooing her" he corrected. "I'm helping her fit in."

"Uh huh" Rebekah grinned. "Well I tell you what. I'll bring by a few of my old western saddles next week and you can pick one out" she told him.

"Thanks" he told her.

Rebekah looked up and saw Elena walking across the yard towards them. "Heads up. Your girlfriend is coming" Rebekah said.

Stefan glared at her, but turned around to give Elena a friendly smile. "Hey Elena" he said as she climbed up onto the fence with him. "You remember Rebekah" he said, introducing them more officially this time.

"I guess" Elena said, having no intention of being friendly towards her. She was Katherine's friend, after all.

Stefan apologized to Rebekah with his eyes. Rebekah just shrugged it off. "So, what time are you heading off to the rodeo tomorrow?" Rebekah asked.

Elena looked at Stefan, wondering why she didn't know about this. Stefan shook his head. "I'm not going this year" he replied. "I have too much to do."

Rebekah scoffed. "You always have too much to do and you have always been able to make it" she reminded him. "Besides, I bet Elena would like a weekend away" she smiled. Elena looked at her curiously. "If you're lucky Elena, you can watch this cowboy in action" she added with a hint of excitement in her eyes. "Hope to see you both there" she said, backing away from the fence and leaving.

Elena waited until Rebekah was out of earshot before she spoke. "I want to go to this rodeo" Elena told him.

Stefan sighed. "Maybe next year" he told her. If they were going to go, they would have to leave early. They would have to talk to Ric and ask if it would be okay. He would have to pack up his trailer.

"But I want to go" Elena told him. "Aren't rodeos what you rednecks do around here?" she asked. Stefan had to nod slowly. That is what they did. "Then I want you to take me" she said, hopping down off of the fence. "And I want to see you in the rodeo too" she added, walking back towards the house.

Stefan hopped off of the fence too. "Hey!" he called after her. Elena stopped and turned around. "We have to ask if we can go" he told her

Elena smiled. "I'll leave that up to you" she told him, turning back around and walking away again.

Stefan couldn't hide his smile. Truth be told, he had wanted to go to the rodeo that weekend. And maybe Elena was now his excuse.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Hey Ric?" Stefan asked, walking up to an old ranch truck that Ric was under, trying to fix something. That truck was always breaking down on him and Stefan didn't know why Ric just didn't buy a new one.

Ric scooted out from under the truck in his worn jeans and t-shirt, covered from head to toe in grease. "Howdy" Ric smiled, wiping the sweat off of his forehead. "How did Elena do at school today?" he asked, needing to give Jenna daily updates on her niece.

Stefan nodded. "Really well. She's way ahead of everyone in the class" he stated. Elena never volunteered to raise her hand, but whenever she was called on, she knew the answer like it was common knowledge. "She's smarter than she lets on" Stefan grinned.

Ric smiled. "Good. Jenna will be glad to hear it" he told him. "I've sure seen a drastic change in her behavior the last few days" he added. "Might that have somethin' to do with them ridin' lessons you've been givin' her?" he asked with a knowing smile.

Stefan wasn't one to blush, but he did laugh slightly at the way Ric had been suggesting that Stefan had some sort of effect on Elena. "I told her straight up she had to make more of an effort 'round here" he stated. "She's actually kind of fun to be around when she's not tryin' to make you miserable" he added.

Ric nodded this time. "I'm glad to hear it" he told him. "You walk over here just to say hi or you got somethin' to ask me?" he asked, grabbing for a greasy wrench.

Stefan shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, working up the courage to ask Ric to let him and Elena have the weekend off. "Rebekah invited me and Elena to the rodeo this weekend" he said. "She's signed up for both days" he added, trying to sound as if he wanted to go to support Rebekah. "I know it's kinda short notice, but do you think Elena and I could go?" he asked hesitantly.

Ric scratched at the back of his head, indicating that he was thinking on it. "That one up there headin' towards Cody?" he asked. Stefan nodded. "That's quite a drive" Ric told him. A good four hours or so. "Elena wants to go?" he asked. Honestly, he didn't picture Elena at a rodeo.

Stefan nodded. "She's actually kinda excited" Stefan smiled.

Ric scratched his head again. "I reckon that would be okay" he said after a moment or two. "You takin' your trailer with you?" he asked.

"Yes Sir" Stefan answered. "And we'll be in separate bunks" he assured him.

Ric smiled. "It ain't you I worry about, Stefan. It's Elena" he said. He had heard things from Jenna that had concerned him. Although he knew Stefan was a gentleman, that didn't mean Elena couldn't get him to change his mind on something. Stefan was a teenage boy, after all.

Stefan rolled his eyes. Yes, even he was entitled to his immature, late teen ways. "Nothin' like that will be happening" he assured Ric. "I just want to take her and show her a good time is all."

"Well I expect that you won't ever let her leave your sight" he told Stefan. "Jenna sent Elena here trustin' that I wouldn't let her get into any trouble. If I let her go with you, I need your word that you're goin' to look after her."

"I'm goin' to look after her" Stefan promised. Even if he had to hold her hand in order to do it.

Ric nodded. "Alright then, I don't see any reason why you can't go" he told him. "Just make sure you and Elena get your chores done in the mornin' before you leave" he stated. "You need any money for your trip?" he offered.

Stefan shook his head. "No, I got everything covered" he said. "Thanks Ric" he said, smiling as he backed up, on his way back into the house to find Elena and tell her.

"Hey" Ric said, stopping Stefan for a moment. "You're doing real good, helpin' Elena adjust" he told him. "Jenna and I appreciate it."

Stefan tipped his hat at him before continuing on his way. He had a lot to do before they left in the morning. Pack the trailer, finish his homework and get his horses squared away so they wouldn't be such a burden on Ric.

Elena had her bedroom door closed when Stefan came upstairs. He knocked and waited for her to open it. Why it surprised him that she answered in just a tank top and her underwear, he didn't know. "Umm …" he said, struggling to find the words he needed to make complete sentences.

Elena grinned. "I ran out of clean shorts and it is too hot in here to wear pants" she told him. She backed away from the door and stood by her bed, waiting expectantly. "So?" she asked.

Stefan forced his eyes to look up at hers. "We're good to go" he said, avoiding her lower half at all costs. "We just have to get our homework done and do our chores in the morning" he explained.

"Good" Elena smiled. "And I already did my homework" she informed him. Stefan looked at her curiously. So she rolled her eyes and opened her bag to grab it. Math and History. "I did it during English. That class is such a bore" she told him.

"Cool" he said, trying to sound casual but ending up sounding like a complete dork. "I uh, I should go and pack the trailer" he told her.

"You wouldn't happen to be doing laundry tonight, would you?" she asked, batting her pretty eyelashes at him. She grabbed for the laundry basket filled with dirty clothes and walked it over to him. "Would you mind?" she asked him.

Stefan was nervous as hell with her standing that close to him, half naked. "Sure thing" he barely squeaked out.

Elena smiled and handed him the basket. "Thanks. You're the best" she told him, leaning in and kissing his cheek. It was innocent enough, but Elena knew exactly what she was doing. She could have Stefan doing anything and everything she wanted.

And she hated doing laundry.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan was dog tired when he finally made it back upstairs to his room after taking care of his horses and packing the trailer. Now all he had to do was shower and get his homework done.

He checked the bathroom and saw that Elena's door was shut. He could take a quick shower. Slowly, he peeled his sweaty shirt off, careful not to touch his new sunburn. His jeans and briefs were next and he kicked them into a pile towards his door. Stefan stepped into the shower and shut the glass door. The water turned on and he instantly relaxed.

He looked around him and saw that Elena's shower items had taken up the shower. Her shampoo and conditioners, her razor, her soaps and her body wash. It didn't make him as uncomfortable as he thought, except that he couldn't stop thinking that she used his shower naked. That was a weird thought, actually.

He grabbed for his own boring shampoo and lathered up his hair. Then he soaped up his body, trying hard not to think about Elena doing the same thing to herself when she showered. A bathroom door opened and Stefan froze. "Hello?" he asked.

"Just me" Elena said, shutting the bathroom door and turning on the sink. She had just finished painting her nails and needed to wash her hands. "Ric said dinner was ready" she added.

Stefan swallowed hard. "I'll be out in a minute" he told her, clearly uncomfortable with having her in there with him. While there was a glass door, she could definitely still see him if she looked hard enough.

"What should I pack for the weekend?" Elena asked, turning off the water and drying her hands. She hopped up on the small bathroom counter and faced the shower.

"Can we discuss the trip when I get out?" he asked uncomfortably.

Elena grinned. "Does my being in here make you uncomfortable?" she asked.

"It's just, I'm not wearing any clothes" he reminded her. Then he mentally kicked himself for sounding like an idiot.

Elena grinned again. "I know" she stated. "I can see you through the glass" she told him. "And by the looks of it, you are happy to see me" she smiled. Stefan quickly backed up as far from the glass door as he could and tried to cover himself. Elena just laughed. "Alright, I'll leave" she said. "I'm sure you have a wonderful body, Stefan. No need to be so shy about it" she said, jumping down off of the counter and leaving the bathroom.

He sighed when he heard her leave. He was going to have to start locking that door from then on.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena was bored after dinner. It was too early to get to sleep on a Friday night. She got up and decided she would wander around and see if anything caught her attention. She could see Stefan's light on under his door and figured she could bother him for a little while. She pushed his door open, not bothering to knock. She figured he wouldn't be naked, seeing that he was probably the most private guy she had ever met.

Stefan turned around in his chair at his desk. "Hey" he said. "Somethin' wrong?" he asked.

She shut his door and shook her head. "Nope. Just bored. What are you doing?" she asked.

"History homework" he said. "That study guide he gave out today" Stefan clarified. He hated history. Too many dates to keep track of.

Elena sauntered on over, wearing her tiny cotton shorts that Stefan had washed for her. She glanced at his barely finished study guide and then sat down on top of his desk. "Want some help?" she asked.

Stefan tried not to focus on how her ass was on his desk. "If you're offerin', then sure" he said. He had been struggling with finding the answers in the book for well over an hour.

Elena glanced down and read one of the questions. "Which war was known as the second war of independence?" she asked. Stefan gave her a puzzled look. She moved on to the next question. "What year did the U.S. enter World War I?" she asked. Again, he gave a puzzled look. She sighed. Her history teacher back home had ingrained this information into her brain. "You really don't know this stuff, do you?" she asked with a long sigh.

"I know everything about ranching and horses" he said, giving her a cute smile to try and make up for the fact that he had no clue what was going on in his history class.

Elena rolled her eyes and jumped off of his desk. She disappeared without a word and Stefan thought she was too fed up with is stupidity to be around him anymore. But she was back within moments, slapping a packet of paper down in front of him. "Just copy mine. Then you can study it for the final test. That's worth more than this assignment" she explained.

"No, I can't copy your work" he told her, pushing her study guide aside. "You did the work" he reminded.

Elena scoffed. "Stefan. I learned this stuff last year. Honestly, I could take the test for both of us and have plenty of time to take a nap afterwards" she said, hopping back up on his desk. She swung her long legs back and forth as she stared down at him.

He was contemplating. On the one hand, he really didn't get graded on the study guide. It was to use for the test. On the other hand, he should do the work himself. "How do I know your answers are right?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.

Elena looked at him like he was crazy. But her eyes turned into pure amusement as she grabbed her book and skimmed it for the answer she was looking for. "The U.S. entered WWI in 1917" she said, turning the book to show him the answer. "Which war was known as the second war of independence? The War of 1812" she said, flipping to a different page and then showing him. "I'm never wrong" she smirked, tossing his book back to him.

Stefan was impressed. Though, he knew she was smart. He just liked giving her a hard time. "Okay" he said, taking her study guide to use. "Thank you" he told her.

Elena sensed that the conversation was over, and honestly, she didn't want it to be. Not yet. She kind of felt isolated and if weren't for Stefan, she probably would have gone insane already. "How much do you normally charge for riding lessons?" she asked.

Stefan leaned back in his chair again and looked up at her curiously. "Why do you want to know?" he asked.

Elena shrugged. "Just wondering how much your time is worth is all" she said.

Stefan smiled. Well, her curiosity was better than her being snarky. "Alright" he said. "Typically, 75 dollars a lesson. If I am working with the horse alone for training purposes, usually more depending on the issues."

Elena's mouth was already gaping open. "People pay you 75 dollars to give them a riding lesson?" she asked for clarification. That was insane.

Stefan laughed. "Yeah" he told her. "And I can make anywhere from $500 to $1,000 a month for training. I can take about three horses on at a time usually" he explained. Elena's eyes grew wide. The guy was rich for a 17-year old. "I sold two 4-year olds last month that I trained for $7,500 each" he added. "I do okay for myself" he shrugged again. It wasn't about the money for him really. He had no use for it besides keeping his truck and horses in shape.

"Wow" Elena said, quite impressed with him. "I made 20 bucks one time babysitting a few kids for a couple of hours" she told him.

"Can't say I've ever done that" he said, smiling. It got her to smile too. It was nice. Kind of strange, but nice to be just talking with her. "If you want, I can find some things for you to help me with and pay you on the side" he offered. It would help him out and keep her out of trouble. It was a winning situation for everyone.

"Yeah?" she asked. "And what would I do with all of this extra money?" she asked, hinting at the fact that there was no mall to spend it at.

Stefan grinned. "I'm sure I could find some time to take you into the city to go shopping" he told her.

Elena took his offer into consideration. "I'll think about it" she said, hopping off of his desk, figuring he had a study guide to finish now and she should have been getting to bed. "I'm going to bed" she told him. "Night."

"Night" he said, watching her leave. "Hey Elena?" he asked. Elena turned around slowly before she walked out of his room. "I like this side of you" he told her.

Elena crossed her arms, ready to get defensive. "What side?" she asked.

Stefan smiled as he looked down nervously. "The helpful, curious and engaging side" he replied. He looked back up and saw that she was ready to argue with him, but he didn't want her to. He wanted to end on a good note for the night. "I'll see you in the morning" he told her, turning around in his chair and grabbing his pen to work on the study guide.

Elena watched him for a moment. He was starting to pick apart what he liked about her, and she did not like that. Yet, she found it difficult to call him out on it when he was so sincere. So, she kept quiet and let herself out of his room.

She lay in bed, replaying Stefan's words in her head. Then it hit her. She understood what was bothering her. Stefan liked her. Maybe he didn't like her as in, wanted to date her. But he was finding things about her that he liked.

She didn't want to be liked.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena leaned against his truck as Stefan finished loading the trailer. She had finished her chores in record time, taken a shower and finished packing her bag.

She watched Stefan load two horses. "Why are you bringing two horses?" Elena questioned.

Stefan poked his head out from around the trailer and smiled. "A horse to compete on and my ranch horse for you to ride. I figure we'll have some down time to go for a trail ride" he answered.

Elena looked concerned. "I've only had a few lessons" she reminded him. And he wanted her to go out on a trail? With no fences to keep her and the horse in?

Stefan smiled. "I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't think you were ready" he told her. He locked up the trailer and came to stand by her. "Got everything you need?" he asked, noticing she was wearing her new belt and his buckle.

Elena nodded. "So what hotel are we staying in?" she asked. A Hilton, maybe a Four Seasons. She had standards, but she wouldn't be picky considering they were in a state out in the middle of nowhere.

"Uh, my trailer" he stated, placing his hand above her shoulder, against the trailer.

Elena looked horrified. "What?" she asked.

Stefan smiled. "Come here" he said, opening up another door for her to show her the living quarters. He stepped inside and turned around to offer his hand to help her in. "Two beds" he said, giving her the grand tour. "Kitchen. A table" he added.

"Oh my" Elena said, looking around skeptically.

"It will be fun" he told her. All he had to do was stop and get food at some point.

"Which bed is mine?" Elena asked, eyeing both of them.

"Top or bottom?" he asked, letting her choose. He really didn't care.

Elena smirked. "I like being on top" she said suggestively, looking him up and down. She watched how uncomfortable her comment made him and prided herself for it. "But if you like being on top, by all means, I'll let you" she added, running her finger down the front of his shirt.

He was pretty sure he was turning a little red from her comment and the way she was undressing him with her eyes. "You can't say things like that" he told her. It wasn't appropriate. And if Ric knew she was talking like that, he'd make Stefan sleep out in his truck with the doors locked from then on.

"What did I say?" she asked innocently. She smiled at him and then turned to walk back outside. She was holding back her laughter. He was so easy.

"Did you guys get breakfast?" Ric asked, coming out of the house to see them.

Stefan tried to compose himself as he followed her out. "We'll stop on our way" Stefan told Ric.

"Well, you two have fun. Your brother and Rebekah left earlier" he added.

"I asked him to save us a camping spot" Stefan told him. "We should be home by dinner on Sunday" he added.

Ric nodded. "You two stay together" Ric said, trying hard to not lecture them, but wanting to remind them how important it was that they stay safe. "I want you to be safe" he said.

"We will" Stefan said, walking with Elena to the passenger side to open her door for her. He wanted out of there before Ric continued lecturing.

Elena brushed her body past Stefan's as she moved to get in. "Safe, huh?" she asked with a devilish grin on her face. He had a bad feeling about what was going to come out of her mouth next. "I hope you brought some condoms" she whispered, smiling as she climbed into his truck.

Stefan gripped his door tightly, thanking God that Ric hadn't heard that.

Now Stefan wasn't so sure that he wanted to spend the night with Elena. Not if she was having thoughts about the two of them doing things that were clearly against his beliefs.

Then again, he was 17.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: So, I did not make it as far as I had hoped in this update because there was just so much to write. I will pick up from where I left off though. I hope to convey the message that Stefan and Elena are interested in each other, even though they have their own reasons for not pursuing one another. We'll see how long that lasts :D**

**Second, thank you for all of the support and love on here and on Twitter. You all heal my broken Stelena heart.**

Grocery shopping with Elena was a breeze. She had tagged along with him while he got the basics. Bacon, eggs, ingredients for biscuits, burgers and hotdogs. Elena had added granola and yogurt, telling him she was going to opt out of the bacon and eggs for breakfast. That was all he ever ate though. And he wasn't about to give her a hard time for her eating habits.

They were about done in the baking aisle when Elena stopped. "Catch" she said. He turned around and saw a bag of marshmallows come hurling at his head, though he caught it in time. "For the campfire" she pointed out, tossing another bag at him. She could eat her weight in s'mores if she got the chance to.

Stefan smiled, adding both bags to the cart. "We'd best find the chocolate and graham crackers and be on our way" he told her. They still had to get their camping spot and get set up. Not to mention, he was competing that same day.

Elena followed along behind him, being way to quiet for his liking. And as soon as they hit the candy aisle for the chocolate, he knew exactly why she was so quiet. She had been thinking. "Have you ever had sex?" she asked bluntly. Stefan stopped the cart, grabbed a package of chocolate bars, and turned back to look at her, hoping she really hadn't just asked him that. "I mean, I know you said you were a one-woman kind of guy, but I thought maybe you were just talking shit" she added with a small shrug.

She was looking at him expectantly with her head tilted to the side. She really did want to know. "That's kind of a private question" he said nervously. That he really did not want to discuss with her. Ever.

Elena shrugged. "Fine. Be a prude" she told him, walking past him.

Stefan followed. Once they were in the next aisle looking for graham crackers, he came up alongside her so only she could hear him. "Have you?" he asked, throwing her own question back at her. She had implied that she was experienced. So maybe he was curious if she ever had.

Elena smiled. "Lots of times" she told him, quite proud of herself. "So?" she asked, waiting again for him to answer. She had heard that cowboys had a reputation. They liked to hang out at the local bars and sleep with all the women they could. Somehow, she thought Stefan might not fit that stereotype though.

Stefan hesitated. How long could he doge her question before she got it out of him? "No" he told her, completely uncomfortable with how this conversation was going. He didn't need to know that she had had sex a bunch of times either. Somehow, he didn't suspect that all those guys cared about her.

"Wow" she said as they continued to walk. She was trying not to laugh at him. "So, you're going to wait until marriage?" she asked, still digging for information. It was fun, because he honestly looked like he was sweating a little from the interrogation.

Stefan wondered how they were still talking about this. "I didn't say that" he told her. He was just waiting until he fell in love. He didn't think there was anything wrong with that.

The began walking again and she was quiet. He silently prayed that they were done talking. But Elena linked her arm with his so she could lean in close to him. "Have you ever seen a girl naked before?" she whispered, laughing because he was so innocent and she knew it. She hadn't really spent much time with guys like him.

Stefan stopped and glared at her. "I've … done things …" he said defensively. He wasn't completely innocent.

This only seemed to spark her interest. "Like what kind of things?" she asked, smirking as she did. A whole list of things ran through her head and she really did want to know which ones Stefan had partaken in.

His glare quickly faded as he realized how much enjoyment she was getting out of this whole situation. She loved getting a rise out of him. If there was any hope in taming her down any, he couldn't feed her amusement. "I'm not telling" he told her neutrally, coming up to the check-out with their cart.

Elena smiled. "Well you're a lot of fun" she said, helping him take items out of their cart. One way or another, she'd get it out of him.

"I'm a ton of fun" he told her, glad they were leaving the topic of sex. For now. He fully expected Elena to bring it back up. Sex just wasn't something they freely talked about where he was from. Clearly, that was not the case where Elena was from.

Stefan paid for their groceries and he was pleasantly surprised that Elena was helping him carry them out to his truck. "How much longer until we get there?" she asked him. Stefan opened her door for her and she rolled her eyes. "Do you always do that? Open the door for a girl?" she asked.

"One more hour" he said, answering her first question. "And yes, I do always open the door for women" he said, answering her second question. Ric would smack him over the head if he ever caught Stefan not doing it.

Elena got in and waited for Stefan. "What if I told you I didn't like you doing that?" she asked, being her defiant self once again.

Stefan started his truck and put it into drive. "I'd tell you my manners are one thing I won't budge on" he smiled, adjusting his cowboy hat as the truck moved forward. He reached over and grabbed her hat off of the dashboard and put it on her head, pushing it down and covering her eyes. "You like Hank Williams?" he asked, turning on his radio and popping his favorite CD in.

"Do I have a choice on that?" she asked, pushing her hat some so she could see again.

"Nope" Stefan said, smiling at her as they got back out on the road. He wasn't singing, but Elena could tell he wanted to.

"I heard you playing your guitar a few nights ago" she mentioned.

"Was I any good?" he asked with a lopsided grin. He hoped she thought he was.

"Not really" Elena said, crossing one leg over the other as she looked out the window.

Stefan laughed at her. "I like you more and more each day, Elena" he told her, looking over at her. Elena looked over at him too, surprised that he would tell her that. Stefan just shook his head, seeing that she wasn't going to reply. He turned up the music and even sang along while Elena looked out the window.

Anywhere but at him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Their camping spot was right across from Damon and Rebekah. It was pretty basic. A small lot with a fire pit and a small area for the horses. But it had taken up almost all afternoon to set up. Stefan set out a few chairs as well as a cooler full of pop and water. It was almost noon and Stefan was busy getting his horse ready. Elena was standing by watching him. "So what are you going to be doing exactly?" she asked.

Stefan smiled as he finished saddling his horse. "Roping" he told her. "The calf runs out, I chase it and rope it" he explained. "And if I get a good enough time, I can advance to tomorrow and possibly win money and a buckle" he added. It wasn't about the prize for Stefan though. It was about the challenge.

"It ain't a real buckle unless you earn if ridin' a bull" came Damon's voice from behind them. "What do ya say, Stef?" he asked. "Wanna enter and show Elena how tough you really are?" he teased.

Elena looked at Stefan and saw that he was used to being picked on by his older brother. He was quiet, but he didn't seem to let Damon's antics get under his skin. "Roping sounds more challenging than just hanging on to a bull" Elena said, surprising herself that she was coming to Stefan's defense.

Damon laughed. "Oh, darlin'. I know you're a rodeo virgin and all, but you really gotta watch how you talk 'round here" he said. Riding a bull was of high importance in the rodeo crowd. "Hey Stef, can I talk you into being my ropin' partner?" he asked. Damon wrapped his arm around Elena, pulling her close. "Me and Stef won a lot of team ropin' events back in the day when he wasn't busy playing with his horses" he told her.

Elena pushed his arm off of her. He laughed. She really didn't like him. "I'll think about it" Stefan told him. "Where's Rebekah?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Getting warmed up with Katherine" Damon answered.

Elena's attention focused back on Damon. Katherine was there? She inwardly groaned. "Good. They should do really well here today" Stefan smiled. The competition wasn't fierce. Stefan had studied up on all the participants.

"My Rebekah is going to kick ass" Damon said proudly. "Anyway, I'm gonna go sign us up little brother" he said, tipping his hat at Elena. "Enjoy yourself today, Miss Gilbert" he said, being smugly polite.

Elena rolled her eyes as he left. "You'll get used to him" Stefan said, laughing as he put the bridle on his horse. "So, I'll do my two events and then put the horse away. We can watch the girls and Damon and then go for a trail ride before dinner" he told her, laying out the schedule of the day for her.

Elena looked around, seeing cowboy after cowboy walk by. "So, what am I supposed to do until you are done?" she asked. Yes, she was that spoiled to demand someone's attention at all times.

Stefan got up on his horse and smiled. "Cheer me on?" he asked, adjusting his reins. "I'd love to win" he told her. Elena crossed her arms as he rode up to her. She looked up at him as he looked down at her. Stefan held out his hand and she looked at him, quite confused. "Give me your arm" he told her. "I'll help you up and you can ride down to the arena with me."

Elena looked at him like he was insane. "There's no way you can pull me up there with you" she said, placing her arm in his hand. Before she knew it, she was seated behind his saddle, holding onto him for dear life as she got herself settled.

"Hang on" he told her as his horse began walking out of the campsite. Elena's boots dangled alongside the horse as they walked. It was weird, not having stirrups for her feet. "You okay?" he asked, feeling how tightly she was gripping his waist. He would have bruises if she didn't let up soon.

"I'm still on, aren't I?" she asked in her snarky attitude that let him know she was nervous. She wasn't in control now. He understood that. He had figured that out about her pretty easily. She needed control.

"That you are" he told her. He crossed the road and walked them towards a signup table at the entrance of the arena. "Hang tight" he told her, getting down off of his horse. Elena hung on to the saddle, clearly uncomfortable with being up there by herself.

Stefan held onto the reigns as he signed up for his roping event. Damon hadn't signed them up for the team roping, which did not surprise Stefan one bit. So Stefan signed up for the one too. When he was finished, he offered his arms out to Elena to help her down. Elena obliged, swinging her leg over the horse to slide off. His arms grabbed just above her hips, helping her down slowly. When her feet landed on the dirt, his body had her pinned between him and the horse.

And suddenly, the temperature jumped about 100 degrees higher. Slowly, his hands left her sides, but he didn't step back. "Go and find yourself a spot in the stands" he told her. "I'll catch up with you in an hour."

Elena nodded, clearly a little too affected by his close proximity. "Good luck, Stefan" she told him, placing her hands on his chest to push him back slightly so she could get around him. She didn't look back as she walked towards the seating area, but she could feel his eyes following her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan held a piece of the rope loosely in his mouth as he gathered the coil in his right hand. His horse danced below him, just behind the barrier in anticipation for the event. Stefan looked over and saw Damon doing the same, adjusting the rope in his hand. There was no question about it. The Salvatore brothers were some of the best looking cowboys in the state of Wyoming. Despite their brotherly bickering and banter, they were also one of the best rodeo roping duos in the state as well.

When Damon looked back at Stefan, they both nodded, indicating they were both ready. Stefan gave the official nod and the gate opened, releasing the steer. Damon and Stefan went racing after it, with Stefan throwing the rope around the steer's head and Damon coming from behind, roping the back legs.

A score of 4.2 seconds was shown on the electronic board and the steer was released. Stefan and Damon had the silliest grins on their faces as they rode up next to each other, slapping shoulders and embracing their successful score. "We still got it" Damon yelled above the crowd.

They rode out along the wall of the arena on their way back to their pen. Stefan looked up and saw Elena sitting up at the top of the bleachers. He tipped his hat at her and she smiled.

His horse trotted off and Elena continued to watch him as he got ready for his next event. The whole rodeo thing didn't really fascinate her. But watching Stefan. That was something she could do all day.

Elena made sure to look at Stefan every now and again as she waited for him to do his own roping event. She was actually really nervous. Why, she didn't know. Maybe she wanted him to do really well. She wouldn't tell him that though.

"Haven't seen you 'round here before" someone said, sitting down next to her. Elena looked to her left and saw a guy in a cowboy hat with a beer smiling at her. "I'm Brad" he said, introducing himself.

"Hi Brad" she said, having no intention of giving him her name. She turned back to look at Stefan who was practicing swinging his rope.

"Are you here with someone?" he asked, getting straight to the point. Elena was impressed. He moved fast.

"Yeah, actually" she told him, pointing towards Stefan. "Stefan Salvatore" she informed him. "You've heard of him?" she asked, fully intending on showing him off. Truth be told, she thought Stefan would be lucky to date her.

Brad smiled. "He's quite good. I haven't seen much of him around lately" he added.

"He's my boyfriend" she announced. She could be straight to the point too.

Brad raised his eyebrow at her and laughed. "I can take a hint" he told her. "Enjoy the rest of the rodeo" he told her, tipping his hat at her and standing up.

Elena wondered why she had shot him down. He seemed perfectly nice and he wasn't bad to look at. She looked over at Stefan who was almost up. But she refused to think that he had anything to do with her turning Brad down.

The announcer said Stefan's name finally, making a quirky comment as well. It got Elena to smile, because she realized how little she knew about Stefan, especially when it came to his rodeo past.

Stefan's eyes focused on the calf and then he nodded, signaling for the calf to be released. He and his horse chased after it.

Elena was on the edge of her seat, her eyes focused on him. "Come on. Come on" she whispered to herself.

Stefan swung the rope moments later, catching the calf around the neck. He jumped off of his horse, raced for the calf, and tied it. Stefan threw his hands up when he was done and the time stopped. The score appeared and it was 6.9 seconds.

Elena had no idea whether or not that was good, until she saw the crowd go wild. Elena jumped up and down, joining the crowd as she yelled.

Stefan let the calf go and took off his hat, waving to the crowd. Then he turned around and saw Elena cheering, which made him smile.

Elena slowly calmed down, seeing that he was watching her. Then she sat down, clearly embarrassed that he had caught her. And then he had to wave to her, causing every girl near her to look at her, seeing Stefan's piercing green eyes and sexy smile directed towards her. Yeah. They hated her. "Lucky bitch" Elena heard some girl say.

Elena ducked down in her seat some, unable to be the center of attention any longer. Finally, Stefan had disappeared and the event had resumed.

It had been about twenty minutes since Stefan had left the arena. Other cowboys had taken their shot at roping, but none had beat Stefan's time. Elena felt a sense of pride in that. Only because she felt like she had to root for him because he brought her.

"Hey" Stefan said, sneaking up on her as he sat down. "So?" he asked, smiling from ear to ear. Which he should have been. He was going to compete for money the following day.

Elena shrugged. "Your brother is impressive" she said, refusing to give Stefan the attention he wanted.

Stefan continued to smile though. "He may not be able to ride like me, but he makes a damn good ropin' partner" Stefan told her. "And I guess it would be askin' too much to know if I did you proud out there?" he asked shyly. Yeah, he had been showing off for her.

Elena rolled her eyes, but decided to give in. He was fishing for her approval, and she was going to be foolish enough to give it. "You weren't half bad, Stefan" she told him. "And I'm kind of thinking I should be taking roping lessons from you too" she added with a grin.

Stefan laughed. "I could give you ropin' lessons if you ask nicely" he told her.

"Maybe your brother will give me lessons then" she smirked. She wasn't going to ask nicely for anything. She took what she wanted.

Stefan smiled at her again. "You really do love to stir up trouble, don't you?" he asked, seeing what she was doing. But was she really trying to make him jealous?

Elena shrugged. So what if she did like trouble? "And you really love to try and change me, don't you?" she countered. Asking her to be nice and polite was definitely not her. Not anymore.

Stefan looked away from Elena and back towards the arena. "I just like spending time with you is all" he said, deciding to avoid what could possibly become an argument by being a sweetheart towards her.

As much as Elena hated to admit it, he did sound sincere. "So you're glad I talked you into taking me here?" she asked.

Stefan smiled. "Yes" he answered. "And I hope you'll be cheering for me tomorrow. I'm up against some tough competitors" he added.

Elena half wondered if anyone could even come close to competing with Stefan, but she shoved the thought aside. "So, how much longer?" she asked, seeing a truck circling and placing barrels in the dirt.

"We'll watch the girls and then Damon on the bull" he told her. "Then we'll go for a trail ride."

Her smile faded slightly. She was still nervous about being out in the open. Elena opened her program to see who would be competing in barrel racing. She needed a distraction. She scrunched her face slightly when she read Katherine's name. She was going to be first. "Katherine" she stated, less than enthusiastically.

Stefan laughed. "Don't hold back" he teased, referring to her disgust. "She'll be riding Daisy Mae" he informed. "I trained that little horse when I was 12 and gave it to her for her birthday. She needed a faster horse to compete with."

"You seem to give people a lot of things" she pointed out. A horse for Katherine and riding lessons for her.

Stefan shrugged modestly. "If you have something to give, that will make someone else happy, why not give it?" he asked her.

Elena didn't respond, but it did make her think. She didn't have anything to offer. The announcer brought her out of her thoughts, announcing that Katherine Pierce was up first. She took off faster than Elena had ever seen anyone ride.

Stefan's entire focus was now on Katherine and her horse. He was leaning forward, watching Katherine run around the barrels. Dirt was flying up into the stands and the crowd was cheering.

Katherine bumped the last barrel as she went around, but it stayed upright. As she ran home, Stefan stood up and was yelling at the top of his lungs. His eyes scanned the scoreboard and saw her time. "Yes!" he yelled, sitting back down. "That's how it's done" he smiled, looking over at Elena who looked completely in awe. "You keep up with your riding lessons and I'll have you out there before long" he grinned.

Elena looked up at him and laughed. "Yeah right" she told him.

"I'll take that as a challenge" he replied. She rolled her eyes, though she had visions of him making her run around barrels all day until she was perfect at it. "Bekah's up next" he told her.

Sure enough, Rebekah's name was announced. "Did you give her that horse too?" Elena asked, attempting to be a smartass. He seemed to give everyone else a horse.

"No. She handpicked this one last year" Stefan told her. "He's a real firecracker if you ask me" he added. He'd seen Rebekah work with that horse, putting all of her energy into his training. And Stefan so desperately wanted to see Rebekah win something.

The timer started and Elena could see that Stefan was even more on edge than he was while watching Katherine. "Come on" he whispered to himself. "Come on Bekah" he said. He could see all the places where she was losing valuable time, but he also knew she'd make it up. She always did.

When she finished, Stefan held his breath until he saw the score. A little slower than Katherine's, but it was decent. "Will she compete tomorrow?" Elena asked.

"I think so" Stefan replied. "That was a pretty good time" he added.

Elena realized she had a lot to learn and that she was way out of her league. The rest of the barrel racers finished up. Both Katherine and Rebekah would be competing the next day.

Elena could see across the arena that the bull riders were getting ready. "Is he any good?" Elena asked, motioning towards the gates where Damon was bound to be.

Stefan shrugged. "Sometimes I don't think it has anything to do with being good. I think a lot of it is luck and stupidity" he said, smiling at Elena. Truth be told, every time Damon got on one of those animals, Stefan worried.

"You look nervous" Elena pointed out.

"Wouldn't you be if your brother put his life in the hands of a 2500 pound animal?" he asked.

Elena thought about Jeremy, being put into that much danger. She got where Stefan was coming from. And although she didn't have a relationship with her brother anymore, she loved him.

Elena watched three bull riders get thrown from their bulls before the 8 seconds were up. Damon was up next and Elena saw Stefan close his eyes. She saw his hand resting against the bench next to her and she thought about grabbing onto it to hold it. But she didn't.

When the gate opened and the bull came out jumping and thrashing around, Stefan held his breath. Damon had gotten plenty of injuries over the years, but Stefan always wondered if the next time, it might be even worse than the one before.

Three seconds in though and Damon fell off. A clean landing and he was able to get away. Stefan let out a sigh of relief. "Well, he won't compete tomorrow on a bull, but he's still alive" he said with a nervous smile. Then he stood. "It's practically over. You ready to go riding?" he asked, giving her his hand.

Elena reluctantly grabbed it and stood, following him down off of the bleachers. "As ready as I'll ever be" she mumbled under her breath. She had all of these fears that the horse would take off with her and she would fall off or worse, look like an idiot in front of all the pros.

**A/N: Trail ride, campfire and bedtime with Stefan and Elena is up next!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: A short update, but I wanted to get something posted before I went on vacation. No new updates for both stories until I get back next weekend!**

**Enjoy and thank you for reading.**

Elena was sure that at any moment, she was going to die when she finally got up on his horse to go trail riding. She stood next to the horse, holding the reins as she waited for Stefan to tack up his other horse. "You know, I'm kind of tired. Maybe I'll just stay here and take a nap" she said, trying to get out of going.

Stefan simply smiled. "Elena" he said, adjusting his saddle. "You'll be fine" he added, shooting a smile her way. "He's not gonna to let anything happen to you" Stefan added, nodding towards his horse.

Elena sighed. "Whatever" she muttered, crossing her arms.

Stefan laughed. "Are we throwin' attitude?" he asked her, amused by it. Elena glared at him. "You know what I notice?" he asked, walking towards her. Elena stood still, though she did straighten up some. "Whenever you are out of your comfort zone, you get snarky" he told her.

"I'm never out of my comfort zone" she said defensively. She could handle anything.

Stefan smiled. "Then get on the horse" he told her.

Elena bit the inside of her lip, clearly frustrated with him. "As you wish" she said with her usual snarky attitude. She turned around, put her boot in the stirrup and lifted herself up into the saddle. It took her a moment to get situated and when she was, she stared down at him. "Happy?" she asked.

Stefan grabbed onto her calf, holding it for a moment. "Yes" he answered, pushing down on her leg. "Heel down" he reminded, patting his horse on the neck and walking back to his roping horse. He hopped up in the saddle effortlessly and it made Elena jealous.

"You make it look so easy" Elena said, walking her horse so that she was next to him.

Stefan chuckled. "I started ridin' before I could walk" he told her. "You're doing fantastic for only a week of riding" he said. "Come on" he told her, kicking his horse and trotting off. Elena had no choice but to follow. They slowed to a walk as soon as they reached the road.

"Stefan!" they heard. Both turned around and saw Katherine running towards them. "You're goin' on a trail ride?" she asked with a huge smile on her face. "Let me go get Daisy and I'll join you."

Elena frowned, knowing that Katherine was now going to join them. She could picture it. Stefan and Katherine riding up ahead of her, laughing and talking about the rodeo and leaving her out.

Stefan turned his horse around and came closer to Katherine. "Elena is still learning. We're just going to take it easy. But I know Bekah and Damon were going to go out riding later, so maybe you can go with them?" he suggested.

Elena felt herself want to smile upon hearing him turn Katherine down. Katherine did her best to not look disappointed. "Yeah. Okay. Have fun" she told him, turning around quickly. She walked off as Stefan came back next to Elena.

"Let's go" he told her, already feeling guilty enough that he had to turn Katherine down. It was the truth though. Elena was still learning and the last thing she needed was a person she hated tagging along.

"I think you hurt her feelings" Elena pointed out.

"She'll have more fun with Rebekah and Damon" Stefan replied.

"Is she always that upbeat and peppy?" Elena asked. Because those types of people annoyed her.

"You mean, is she a happy person?" Stefan asked with a grin. "Yes. For the most part" he told her. Elena rolled her eyes. "Come on. Let's pick up the pace a little" he said, taking off in a fast trot ahead of her. Elena followed, holding onto the saddle horn to steady herself.

Fifteen minutes later, they were riding up a small incline before Stefan pulled up on his horse and stopped. Elena joined him seconds later, stopping next to him. Ahead of them was a gorgeous valley with wildflowers. "Pretty, huh?' he asked her, bumping his horse into hers.

It got her attention. "Yes" she answered. "We don't have a lot of open space like this back home" she said.

Stefan looked back out over the valley. "I couldn't imagine life without it" he said.

"You're going to stay in Wyoming your entire life, aren't you?' she asked, looking over at him. The way he talked about the place told her that he wasn't going anywhere.

Stefan nodded. "I love it here" he replied. Then he smiled. "And if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're starting to like it here too" he said.

Elena scoffed. "Do not" she said. "There's too much time to think out here" she said. There weren't enough distractions.

"Is that a bad thing?" Stefan asked. Elena was too caught up in looking out over the meadow to hear what he had said. She didn't want to think. Her thoughts were nothing but tragic. And her facial expression showed it. "Hey" he said. "You okay?" he asked, touching her arm.

Elena jumped slightly. "What?" she asked. She looked confused from being deep in thought.

He stared at her for a moment before deciding to let it go. "Nothing" he told her. "Come on. We should head back" he said.

"Okay" she said, turning her horse to follow Stefan.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It had been a quiet ride back to the campsite, but Elena felt much more comfortable riding back. When they arrived, Damon was already getting a fire started. "How was the ride?" Damon asked, throwing pieces of wood onto the fire. Katherine was sitting on a wood log close to Damon, looking into the fire and not at Stefan or Elena.

"Good" Stefan smiled. "Where's Bekah?" he asked, jumping off of his horse and coming around to Elena to help her get down.

"Getting the food prepped" Damon answered.

Stefan nodded. "Hey, do you want to go and see if she needs help?" Stefan asked Elena. "I'll put the horses away."

"Sure" Elena told him. She walked towards his trailer before going inside.

"Kat, you wanna help me?" he asked. She perked up some, smiling that he had noticed she was there. She jumped to her feet and grabbed a horse to lead back behind the trailer. "Look" he said, placing his hands on her arms when they stopped. "You and I both know you and Elena don't get along. She's kind of my responsibility, so that means I have to keep an eye on her" he said, hoping Kat would understand.

Katherine frowned. "But that means you spend less time with me" she told him sadly. "I hardly ever see you anymore. We used to be inseparable" she reminded.

Stefan nodded. "I know" he told her. "Pick a day. You and I will go and do whatever you want" he told her, realizing that he had started to ignore her. Not intentionally. But he had since Elena came along.

Katherine smiled. "Camping over Memorial Day weekend?" she asked. "Just like old times?" she smiled.

Stefan smiled too. "Just like old times" he repeated as they took the saddles and bridles off of the horses. "You were amazing today, by the way" he told her. "Perfect turns. You two work nicely together" he added.

"She's the best present I've ever received" Katherine smiled. "I'll never be able to repay you, but I hope you know how important Daisy is to me."

"I know" Stefan told her. "You just keep runnin' those barrels. Knowing that you enjoy riding Daisy so much is repayment enough" he said, wrapping his arm around her and kissing the top of her head. It was a friendly gesture to him. "I'm going to go and help Damon" he told her, letting her go and walking away.

Katherine watched him, smiling the entire time. She was sure that Stefan liked her. And now that damn Elena thought she could swoop in and take him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena stood next to Rebekah in silence as she helped her with the potato salad. "This is ready" Elena said, ready to take it outside.

But Rebekah grabbed her arm and stopped her. "I need to tell you something" she said.

Elena looked up at her curiously. "And what would that be?" Elena asked, somewhat defensively. She still didn't fully trust her seeing as how she was friends with Katherine.

"Stefan's one of the good guys, Elena" Rebekah said with a sigh. "I don't know what you think about him, but I know he likes you" she said. "The more time you spend with him, the sooner you are gonna realize that Stefan is like no one else. He's that guy in all those stupid novels that is perfect and shouldn't be real at all" she said with a small smile. "He'd do anything for you. Please don't take advantage of that."

"What makes you think I would take advantage of him?" she asked defensively.

"I'm assuming you don't tend to hang out with people like Stefan. You know, the kind and sensitive type" she explained.

"Careful. You almost sound like you like Stefan more than his brother" Elena said, throwing that in there just to be a bitch.

Rebekah let it go though. Elena was getting defensive. That meant she liked Stefan too. "I love Damon. I'll always love him. But he's not like Stefan. He's selfish and impulsive" she told Elena. "I put up with that because I love him. But Stefan. Stefan's the most steady and stable guy you will ever meet. If you let him love you, he'll show you what true love really is" Rebekah said softly. When Elena looked away from her, Rebekah decided to have mercy on her. "You can take this out now" she said.

Elena left quickly, feeling overwhelmed with what Rebekah had just said to her. Since when did Elena have to start liking Stefan, let alone falling in love with him? Elena shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. There was no way in hell she'd ever fall for Stefan. Sleep with him, sure. But have real feelings and shit? Never.

Elena was sitting down by herself as Damon and Rebekah argued over how long to cook the meat. "You did really great today on our ride" he told her, offering up some positive encouragement as he sat down next to her. He reached over in the cooler and grabbed her a bottle of Coke, popping off the top. Then he grabbed himself one. "I'd officially say you can ride" he smiled, clinking his bottle with hers.

Elena smiled. "I guess when you have the best of the best teaching you, it ain't so hard" she said, back to her flirty mood. He had to admit. He liked seeing her like this over how he had seen her looking out over the valley. Confused and distant.

Stefan looked up and saw Rebekah smiling at him. "She likes you" Rebekah mouthed to him. He blushed just slightly and looked away. He didn't believe that.

When dinner was finally done, Stefan brought Elena a plate, guessing as to what she liked and figuring he would eat whatever she didn't like. "Thanks" Elena told him, going straight for the potato salad.

He sat down next to her with his own plate and Katherine sat close by. "I'd just like to say that Stefan and I are goin' to kick ass tomorrow in the team ropin' event" Damon announced. "And our ladies? They're gonna smoke the competition" he added.

Rebekah and Katherine cheered. "Damn straight we are" Rebekah said. "Now alls we have to do is get Elena out there" she said.

Elena suddenly became uncomfortable with all the attention on her. Katherine was giving her a deadly stare that no one seemed to notice. "Give me a year" Stefan said. "I'll have her out there next season" he added with a smile.

Elena fought the smile that was threatening to show, but she couldn't help it. He had this ability to make her smile when she didn't want to.

After dinner and when the sun started to go down, Rebekah and Katherine said they were going to call it a night. They never did get to their trail ride since they sat around the campfire all night talking. They wanted their rest for the next day. And Damon wanted to go with Rebekah because he was probably going to get sex if he did.

So that left Stefan and Elena by themselves for the rest of the evening. Elena huddled closer to the dying fire, trying to get warm. She froze momentarily when she felt a blanket being draped over her shoulders. She looked up and saw Stefan looking down at her. "It can get cold at night" he said, taking a seat next to her.

"You didn't mean it, right?" she asked. "About me competing next year."

"Sure I did" he smiled, throwing a pine cone into the fire. "If you're willing to put in the time, I'll show you everything you need to know."

Elena looked at him for a long moment. "And why would you do that?" she asked.

Stefan sighed. "Why do I have to have a reason for helping you?" he asked her, turning to look at her.

Elena looked away. Because every guy who did things for her wanted something in return. And Elena highly doubted Stefan only wanted her attitude to change. "I was just curious is all" she said. "You just like doing nice things for others, don't you?" she asked, remembering her conversation with Rebekah earlier.

"Yes" he answered honestly. "Horses and ridin' are my life. I like sharin' them with you. Maybe one day you can share something you love with me" he told her. Before she could reply, he stood. "I'm turnin' in" he said, kicking dirt onto the fire to lower the flames some. Then he left.

Elena hung back for about ten minutes or so, drawing in the dirt with a stick. When she was bored, she got up and went into the trailer, finding him already in his bed reading a booklet of some sort. She grabbed her pajamas out of her bag and went into the bathroom to change and brush her teeth.

When she came back out, she crawled up to her top bunk and turned on her stomach. Five minutes of that and she was bored again. Elena crawled halfway off of the bunk and hung down so she was looking at Stefan. "What are you reading?" she asked.

"The program for tomorrow. I'm studying the competition" he informed.

Elena turned herself and slid off of the bunk, crawling over Stefan and joining him on his bed. He looked surprised to see her so close to him and on the same bed as him, but he didn't react. She would probably only tease him.

"What about him?" Elena asked, leaning against Stefan's left shoulder as she looked at the booklet with him.

"Shawn Garrison?" Stefan asked. "He's probably one of the best ropers on the circuit right now" Stefan said. "I'm actually surprised to see him here at this rodeo."

"Easy money" Elena said, indicating that Shawn would in fact win. "He's cute too" she added with a smirk.

Stefan laughed. "Thanks. At least I know who you are rooting for now" he said, turning the page.

Elena took the booklet out of his hands, surprising him yet again. "I'm rooting for you, Stefan" she told him. "So don't make me regret it" she added.

"I'll do my best" he told her.

Elena smiled. "You'll win" she said, swinging one leg over him as if she were getting up off of his bed. But she stopped, sitting there and straddling him.

"What … what are you doing?" he asked nervously, looking up at her.

Elena smiled. "This" she said, leaning down and kissing him.

**A/N: Oh Elena.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I am excited for what I have planned for this story in the upcoming chapters! **

**Reviews are always appreciated! Thank you for everything you guys! **

Elena's hands reached up and grabbed the sides of his face, resting them on his cheeks eventually as she deepened their kiss. He was hesitant at first and she could tell right away she had caught him off guard. Good.

She couldn't help but smile though when she felt his lips move more eagerly against hers, and his hands rest gently on her waist. Clearly he was interested in her, and that's what she had wanted to find out.

When she pulled away from him, she had a satisfied look on her face while he looked confused as to why they were no longer kissing. "I was right" she said, letting go of his face.

"About what?" he asked, still holding onto her waist because he couldn't seem to do anything else at the moment but ask her a question. His mind was still reeling from the impromptu kiss she had given him.

"You are a good kisser" she answered with a smile. "Thanks for that" she said, pushing down on his chest as she crawled off of him. "See you in the morning" she called over her shoulder before climbing back up to her bed.

Stefan laid there absolutely still, still processing what had just happened. She had kissed him, initiated it even, only to tell him that all she had wanted was to prove herself right that he was a good kisser.

Did she want to kiss him again? Was that her way of telling him she liked him? Stefan ran his hand over his face, thinking he had never been more confused by a girl before. Ever.

One thing he did know for sure was, it couldn't happen again. If Ric caught wind of them doing anything else besides being friends, Stefan was a dead man. Ric didn't set boundaries often for Stefan, but when he did, Stefan knew he had better respect them.

He sighed, rolling over on his side and shutting the light off. He couldn't get stuck thinking about Elena kissing him. Not when he had a rodeo to win the next day.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan woke up before Elena the next morning and he wasn't surprised at all. The girl liked to sleep in. Her blanket had fallen off of her and onto the floor sometime during the night. Stefan reached down and picked it up, covering her back up with it.

He grabbed a few things to start breakfast and then snuck outside to get the fire started back up again. He pulled up a chair so he could tend to the fire and cook breakfast. His brother and the girls were sure to show up eventually. Stefan was going to have to force himself to eat. His nerves were killing him. It had been way too long since he had competed against some of the pros.

"What's for breakfast?" he heard Elena ask. He turned around to see her standing in the doorway of the trailer, wearing incredibly short jean shorts and a pink tank top. She wouldn't have had much time to do anything with her hair, but he liked it just fine the way it fell over her shoulders and down her back in loose waves.

He realized he hadn't answered her question yet and he tore his eyes away from her. He had to stop looking at her like that. "Biscuits and gravy, bacon, eggs, whatever you want" he said, giving her a friendly smile before going back to what he was doing.

Elena made a funny face. "That's a lot of fat and grease" she said. She went back inside, and came back out ten minutes later with a bowl of yogurt and granola.

Stefan had to laugh as she sat down next to him. Partly because he was amused with her meal choice and partly because he was a little uncomfortable about her kissing him the night before. "That what you eat back home?" he asked, stirring the gravy over the fire.

"Sometimes" she answered. "You ever try it?" she asked, taking a bite. There was nothing better than fresh strawberry yogurt with a sweet crunchy granola mixed in.

"Nah" Stefan answered. "Ric doesn't ever buy stuff like that" he added.

Elena raised her eyebrow. "Stuff like that?" she asked, pressing him to clarify.

"Ya know, girl food" he said, flipping a few pieces of bacon.

"Girl food?" she questioned. "Plenty of farms make yogurt from their animals, Stefan" she reminded him.

Stefan smiled. "I live on a ranch, Elena" he reminded. "We eat animals and vegetables" he added.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Try it" she said, holding a spoonful out to him.

"No thanks" he told her. He was much more interested in what he was cooking.

"Come on" she encouraged. He shook his head no. "I'll eat a biscuit if you try my yogurt" she negotiated.

Stefan smiled. "You don't take no for an answer, do you?" he asked. Elena grinned. No she didn't. "Fine" he said, grabbing for the spoon she was holding. Elena grabbed his hand, stopping him as she fed him the spoonful of yogurt. She pulled the spoon away and dropped it back into her bowl.

"Good huh" she said, taking another spoonful for herself. She could live off of it.

Stefan wiped at his mouth where she had missed, leaving some behind on the corner of his lip. "Ain't bad" he smiled. He plucked a biscuit off of the fire and put it on a plate, cutting it in half and spreading honey on it. "Your turn" he said, handing the plate to her. He wasn't going to feed it to her because the last thing he needed was to be giving her mixed signals.

Elena took the biscuit without complaint and took a small bite. "Ain't bad" she winked, using his phrase from moments before. "So, are you nervous for today?" she asked.

Stefan grabbed himself a plate and grabbed a few pieces of bacon, a biscuit and a spoonful of scrambled eggs. "Sort of" he answered, pushing his food around on his plate. "It's been a while since I competed against some of these guys" he admitted.

Elena watched him stare down at his food quietly. "You ever think about doing this whole rodeo thing full time?" she asked.

Stefan chuckled. "Damon would really love that. So would Katherine" he said, looking up at Elena. "But I love being at home, workin' with the horses."

"I'd get bored, doing the same thing every day" she told him, taking another bite of her yogurt. She kind of liked the excitement of doing something new every day. For the thrill of it.

Stefan smiled. "This world would be awfully boring if we all wanted the same things out of life" he said.

She thought that was pretty insightful, but still, she wished he was a little more adventurous. "Maybe" she said, as if she didn't care about what he had just said.

A silence fell over them for a little while as they ate. But Stefan couldn't stop thinking about their kiss. That was more bothersome than the competition in the next few hours. "Elena, we need to talk …" he said, realizing how serious he sounded. But maybe he was serious.

Elena laughed. "Oh my God Stefan. It was just a kiss" she said, already knowing what he was being so serious about. "Have you never kissed a girl just for the hell of it?" she asked, looking over at him. The blank look on his face told her he hadn't. "Well shit" she said, setting her bowl down. "You really are innocent, aren't you?" she asked.

"You can't do that anymore" he told her, choosing to ignore her question.

Elena smirked. "Says who?" she asked. Because she'd kiss him when she wanted, whenever she wanted.

Stefan sighed. She thought this was a game, and it wasn't. "Ric made it perfectly clear that we could have a friendship and that was it" he told her.

Elena again smirked. "We can be friends" she shrugged. "With benefits" she added, giggling softly. He didn't look amused, so she leaned over towards his ear. "I won't tell" she whispered, getting up and leaving him. She turned back around before going back inside the trailer and found him thinking about her offer. Well, she thought he was thinking about it anyway. She smiled and went inside.

Stefan set his plate to the side, no longer wanting to even try to eat. Elena couldn't be doing or saying things like that.

Because it made him want to just grab her and kiss her again.

And she was off limits. Stefan understood that though. Elena came to Wyoming to get a fresh start. That didn't mean jumping into a relationship with the guy she was living with.

It meant setting boundaries with her. Which he had just attempted to do and failed at it. He would just have to be more aware of how he acted around her, so that she wouldn't get another chance to kiss him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You ready?" Damon asked, slapping his brother's shoulder as he rode past. They were waiting their turn for the team roping event. "We're lookin' at 2,500 bucks each" Damon smiled.

Stefan nodded, smiling himself. "Yeah, I'm ready" he told his brother. He was trying hard not to think about Elena, but it was difficult. That damn kiss was messing with his mind.

"You alright?" Damon asked, getting his rope in place. "You seem distracted."

Stefan looked up into the stands and saw Elena sitting where she had been the day before. "I'm ready" Stefan assured him. He put his hat on and fixed his own rope. "I'm going to try and hold back a little more so you can get a straight shot" he said.

Damon nodded. "We got this" he grinned, walking off to his starting point. The first two teams had all been a no-score for missing the steer. That was good news for them.

Stefan walked his horse to his starting point and fidgeted in his saddle some as he waited. Damon and he made eye-contact, both putting the rope in their mouths and holding the coil in their right hands. The crowd was cheering for them both, and Stefan briefly wondered if Elena was cheering for him. _Stop it _he thought. He had to focus.

The gate opened and Stefan's horse broke the barrier, chasing after the steer with Damon. He did his best to hold back, letting Damon rope first. When Stefan threw his rope, catching the steer effortlessly, the timer stopped and the crowd was yelling so wildly that Stefan couldn't hear what Damon was trying to say.

The steer was set free and Stefan gathered his rope, trotting off to the side. He looked over to find Elena standing on the fence now, clapping, smirking like she was really enjoying the fact that he had just set the bar high for the remaining teams. He had no choice but to ride by her, and against his better judgment, he stopped to talk to her.

Elena crawled further up the fence. "Not bad" she told him, smiling. "I hope you plan on winning your solo roping event too" she told him, giving his horse a few pats.

Stefan shrugged. "All I can do is try" he said modestly.

Elena leaned forward, grabbing onto the front of his shirt and pulling him towards her. "Don't try, Stefan. Do" she whispered, smiling as she looked at his lips that were inches away from her own. "I want to see you win" she told him, turning her face slightly and placing a not so innocent kiss against his cheek. "Go get 'em" she smiled, whispering into his ear. She let go of his shirt and climbed back down, making her way back into the stands.

A team had just finished, though Stefan had been oblivious to them. He did manage to look up at the scoreboard and saw that they had run two seconds slower and he and Damon.

Stefan closed his eyes momentarily, taking in a slow breath as he tried to relax. Either Elena was trying a lot harder to get to him, or he was having a pretty serious crush on her. Either way, he knew he couldn't let it continue.

Stefan kicked his horse forward, needing to prepare for his last event. When he got back to the pen, Damon was on the outside of it, laughing at him. "What was that?" he asked.

"What was what?" Stefan asked. He had had a near perfect run with Damon. What was his brother laughing about now?

"You know what" Damon accused. "That little smooch you got from Elena over there" he said, grinning like he had just caught his younger brother in a secret act. "You screwin' Elena already?" he asked, impressed that his little brother had it in him.

Stefan glared at him in disgust. "Don't say screw" Stefan warned. He hated that word.

"Fine" Damon scoffed. "Are you and Elena … making love?" he asked, busting out laughing at his new choice of words. He would never, ever say that. Stefan continued to glare. "In all seriousness though Stef, good for you man" he said, raising his hand up to give his little brother a high five. "It's 'bout time you're getting' some" he added.

"I'm not sleeping with Elena!" Stefan snapped. He wasn't sure why he had gotten so defensive about it. Maybe because he was so confused about Elena and the last thing he needed was someone else making assumptions.

"Whoa now" Damon said, putting his hands up in surrender and stepping back. "I was just pointin' out how cozy you two looked over there at the fence" he said.

"You didn't see anything" Stefan said, calmly, though still irritated. "I have to get ready" he said, turning his horse away from his brother. He preoccupied himself with his rope, getting it in order as he waited for the last of the teams to finish and for his event to start.

He and Damon had won their team roping event and Stefan was happy about it. However, he was still upset that Damon had seen Elena kiss him.

"Breathe" Stefan said, closing his eyes as he waited at the gate for his turn. He really wanted to win. Not for Elena. But for himself. It was nice to know that after all this time, he was still a competitor amongst so many riders.

"Stefan, you're up" one of the guys had said, bringing Stefan out of his thoughts.

"Thanks" Stefan nodded, placing the rope in his mouth and winding it up in his hand. When he was ready, he looked straight ahead, and not at Elena, and then nodded.

The calf ran out and Stefan and his horse ran after it, roping it quickly out of the gate. Stefan jumped off of his horse and ran for it, getting it to the ground and tying its legs. He threw his hands up in the air, signaling that he was done. They made sure the calf was tied down tight before they let it go.

Stefan was breathing hard as he gathered his rope and walked back his horse. He gave him a long praise before getting back on and riding back. His time was lower than the day before, and now all he had to do was wait on the other guys.

But it was a good time, regardless. That was always the hard part though. The waiting.

Thirty minutes later and Stefan was walking out of the arena with a check for 5,000 dollars for winning the tie-down roping event. His horse walked behind him as Stefan examined the check. "Hey Cowboy" he heard her say in a sexy tone. He smiled. "Congrats" Rebekah told him, leading her horse behind her as she wrapped an arm around him.

She hadn't won her barrel race, having earned a five second penalty for knocking a barrel over. Katherine had come in third. And Damon hadn't lasted the eight seconds he had needed to earn money. So Rebekah had every reason to be excited for Stefan. "Thanks Bekah" he told her. "It feels good to know I can still compete with the best of 'em" he smiled.

"You are the best of 'em" she told him, holding his hand as they walked back towards their trailers. Stefan hadn't seen Elena since she had kissed his cheek. He had sort of been avoiding her.

Stefan walked Rebekah to her trailer, being the gentleman he was. "I want you to have this" he said, placing the check he had won in her hand.

She looked up at him with surprise and shook her head. "No. I can't take this" she told him. Rebekah pushed his hand away.

"Yes you can" Stefan said, grabbing her hand and placing the check in it. "Put it towards your entry fees and gas for the summer" he said. Because all of that was ridiculously expensive. Her parents wouldn't help her, so she basically had to win to pay her way or find some side jobs, which took time away from training. She looked painfully torn. "I didn't enter the rodeo this weekend for the money. I entered it for the thrill. I had fun and I want to see this money go to good use" he told her.

Rebekah looked like she was going to cry, so he pulled her into a hug. "Thank you" she said, hugging him tight. "I'll figure out a way to pay you back" she promised, letting go of him.

"You don't have to do that" he smiled. "Make sure to bring him by this week so I can work with you both" he added, giving her horse a good scratch before stepping away. "You did good this weekend, Bekah" he told her.

"So did you" she smiled, still forcing her tears to stay away.

Stefan grabbed the check back from her. "I'll get this cashed for you" he said, holding up the check. "See you at school tomorrow" he said, turning around and leaving. "Tell Damon I'll see him at home" he threw over his shoulder. He knew his brother needed time to cool off after his rough ride.

Stefan wanted to get home. If they left soon, they would make it home by dinner. When Stefan got back to his trailer, he found Elena brushing his other horse. She smiled when she saw him. "The champion returns" she said, teasing him as she ran the brush over the horse's leg.

Stefan had to admit that he was pleasantly surprised to see her brushing a horse without having been asked to. "You're spoilin' him" Stefan mentioned, pointing at his horse who was munching on what appeared to be a carrot.

Elena shrugged. "I didn't want him to be dirty on the long ride back" she said.

Stefan tied the horse he was holding to the trailer and stepped around Elena to grab for a few more brushes. That's when he noticed it. "Uh, Elena?" he asked. She turned around and looked at him. "Did you braid his tail?" Stefan asked.

Elena nodded with a smile. "Pretty, huh?" she asked.

Stefan looked horrified though. "He's a dude" Stefan reminded.

Elena rolled her eyes. "I think he looks pretty" she told him, running a soft brush over his face gently. "Besides, it will keep his tail from tangling" she added.

Stefan took the saddle and bridle off of his other horse and set them in the tack area. Then he gave his best friend a hug. "I'm sorry" he told his horse, leaning his head against the horse's head and smiling as he looked into his eyes. "She's new at this, remember?" he asked.

Elena jabbed Stefan in the side with the brush she was using. "He looks fine" Elena said, running her fingers over the horse's nose.

"But he's a dude" Stefan said. Elena just laughed at him as she finished brushing. Little did he know, she planned on braiding the mane too.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They were an hour from the ranch when Elena had fallen asleep in the truck. He had seen her fighting to stay awake since she had first gotten in the truck and was quite surprised she had lasted as long as she did.

Her hair was a mess as she leaned her head against the window. A few bumps in the road caused her to stir, and before he knew it, she was sitting up sleepily and then leaning to rest her head against his shoulder.

Stefan sat stiffly and glanced down at her. She was sound asleep again. He let himself breathe again, finding some comfort in the fact that she was sound asleep against him. Times like this made him think that she wasn't as bad as she tried to make herself out to be.

She was just a young girl who was struggling with a devastating life event. He couldn't be so hard on her. The attention she was seeking was her way of taking the focus away from the death of her parents and her feelings about it. He felt sorry for her. He wished she hadn't had to experience that kind of heartache.

An hour later, he was pulling into his driveway and cutting off the engine. Elena was still asleep. "Elena?" he asked. She stirred slightly, but did not wake. Stefan sighed and carefully got out of the truck. He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door, carefully grabbing her out of the truck. He carried her towards the house as she rested her head against his shoulder, still sleeping peacefully.

He hated to admit how nice it felt to hold her in his arms like that. He was always the one taking care of others, and right then, he liked the fact that he was the one taking care of her.

Stefan entered the house quietly and could already smell dinner cooking. "How was the …" Ric began to ask, only to pause his question when he saw Stefan with Elena.

"She fell asleep about an hour ago" Stefan whispered. "I'm going to take her upstairs and then I will be back down to help out" he added.

Ric nodded as Stefan turned to go up the stairs. He watched them for a moment before turning back around. He really hoped that what he was witnessing was innocent. Just Stefan being the good guy that he was. He shook the concerns from his mind and went back to preparing dinner.

Stefan opened Elena's door and walked to her bed, laying her down gently. She stirred some, but went back to sleep. He placed a blanket over her and slipped back out of her room. When he closed her door, he sighed.

So he had feelings for her. It didn't mean he had to act on them.

**A/N: So, yeah. Elena is confusing Stefan and Stefan is just plan adorable when he is confused. **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: It is 12:30 AM and I am updating for you all. I am feeling dedicated at this hour!**

**Please let me know what you think. Stefan is pretty amazing in this update, so try not to hurt from all of the feels he may give you.**

"Elena?" Stefan asked, knocking on her door. It was Monday morning – the last week of school – and they were officially going to be late if they didn't leave right then. "We're going to be late" he said through her door. He could hear her shuffling around her room, but she still wasn't answering the door. "Elena!" he said loudly.

"Come in!" she yelled, seemingly irritated with him standing at her door, nagging her.

Stefan opened her door and walked in, only to stop dead in his tracks when he saw her in her panties without any shorts or pants to cover them up. "Uh …" he said, clearly lost for words as he quickly turned his head. "You do realize you're indecent?" he asked, wondering why in the hell she had invited him in. Oh right. Because she was Elena.

"Shut up Stefan" she barked. "It's just underwear. I can't find my damn shorts" she added. She was riffling through piles of her clothes. "I just had them last night when I did laundry and now they're gone" she said, quite irritated.

Stefan didn't see what the big deal was. "So wear a different pair" he said, trying to be helpful. "Like these" he said, grabbing a pair of shorts on the floor. He still wouldn't look at her in her underwear though.

Elena groaned. "Really Stefan?" she asked, walking towards him. He nearly jumped two steps back. He didn't want her that close without being fully clothed. "Do you honestly think that these shorts go with this top?" she asked him, motioning with her hands.

"No?" he asked, a little unsure. It looked fine to him.

"No is correct" she said, turning around and riffling through her clothes once again.

"Well what do they look like?" he asked her. He would do anything to help as long as she covered herself up.

"They're blue" she replied.

Stefan stood there looking dumbfounded. All of them were blue. "Do they have polka dots or something?" he asked. He really did need a distinguishing characteristic if he was going to find them.

Elena glared at him. Clearly she did not get enough sleep when he had put her to bed the night before. Then he thought about how he had put her down on her bed and she held onto him in her sleep, like she wanted him to say. "Stop it" he whispered to himself. He couldn't be thinking of things like that.

"Stop what?" Elena asked, turning to face him.

His eyes caught hers and he couldn't bring himself to look away from her. "Nothing. I was talking to myself" he said, somewhat embarrassed that she had caught him saying that. Elena eyed him closely before turning back around and searching. Stefan busied himself with searching for her missing shorts. He looked under her bed and pulled out a pair of blue denim shorts. "These it?" he asked, holding them up.

Elena smiled brightly. "Yes!" she exclaimed, running towards him like he was now her hero. "Thank you" she said, reaching up to embrace him and kiss his cheek.

Stefan caught her arms though and awkwardly stopped her. "You'd better hurry. We're gonna to have to make up time" he told her, handing her the shorts and walking out of her room quickly.

Elena watched him leave, feeling slightly rejected, but then again, when hadn't she? She quickly put her shorts on and ran some lip gloss over her lips before running down the stairs. "I'm ready" she announced, grabbing an apple out of the bowl on the table.

Stefan held the door open for her and they both rushed out to his truck. "Buckle up" he told her, flooring it as he backed up. Then he put the truck in drive and tore out of the driveway, leaving a cloud of dust.

Elena bit into her apple, watching the scenery pass her by as he drove. When he turned off onto a dirt road she wasn't familiar with, she raised her eyebrow at him. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"Shortcut" he told her, smiling that handsome smile he usually showed her. The one he probably showed all the girls. "Hang on" he said as they hit the first bump.

Elena grabbed for the handle above her and cursed. "Jesus fucking Christ Stefan" she said, looking at him in disbelief. They were bouncing all over the place. Yet the bumps were less alarming than the long stretch of mud she saw up ahead.

He stopped the truck and made a few adjustments while she looked like she was ready to piss herself. "4-wheel drive" he grinned. "Hang on" he repeated, stomping down on the gas and going full force through the muddy path. Mud was flying up on the windows and Elena hated to think what people would say when they got to school. "Ever been muddin'?" he asked her, getting the stupidest grin on his face like this was something he truly enjoyed. Which it was.

"No" she said, quite disgusted with the whole thing. "You're going to wash it when we get home, right?" she asked.

"Nah, the rain will get it sooner or later" he told her.

Elena leaned back in her seat, staring ahead even though she couldn't see anything through the mud covered window. "Disgusting" she muttered.

Stefan just laughed at her. If he could teach her how to ride, he could teach her how to not be such a girly girl.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I just don't see why she had to come" Katherine said, kicking a rock with the tip of her boot as she and Rebekah towards the truck.

"Because he doesn't want her to feel left out? Rebekah asked. "She's not so bad" she told her.

"She doesn't belong here" Katherine said stubbornly.

Rebekah sighed. "But she is here" she reminded her friend. "She's living with Stefan and you're going to have to find a way to coexist with her. Otherwise your time with Stefan is going to be very limited for the next year" she warned.

"Well, Stefan and I are going camping in two weeks over the weekend" she said smugly. "He told me he feels bad we haven't spent any time together lately and he wanted to make it up to me."

"That should be fun" Rebekah replied neutrally. She wondered how Elena was going to take the news. "And I think you have the wrong idea about Elena. I think there's a lot we don't know about her" she said, throwing that in there.

"Whose friend are you anyway?" Katherine asked defensively.

"The friend who dropped you off at school and the one who is drivin' your ass home" she smirked.

Katherine's attitude softened some. "I just feel like she's playin' Stefan" Katherine sighed. "I don't want to see him gettin' hurt."

Rebekah looked at her sadly. "I don't want to see that either" she told her. "But I think Stefan knows what he's doin'" she smiled. Katherine still didn't look convinced. "Come on. Let's go and grab burgers before I take you home."

Katherine nodded. "Okay" she said, getting in to Rebekah's truck. She would have called and invited Stefan, but he probably would have brought Elena.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rebekah was all smiles when she saw Stefan with Elena later that evening. They were standing by his horse and Rebekah assumed that they had just finished with a riding lesson. She honked twice as she pulled in. "Hey" she said brightly, jumping out of her truck. "I brought those saddles over" she mentioned, walking to the side of her trailer and grabbing two out. "They've got some wear, but they should be a lot more comfortable for you than his saddle" she said, placing the saddles on top of the fence. Elena eyed Stefan suspiciously, and Rebekah caught on. "Oh, he asked me last week if I had any saddles laying around that might fit you better" she said, clarifying what she was doing there. "And trust me, you will feel much better ridin' in one of mine" she added.

"Thanks Rebekah" he said, unsaddling his horse and grabbing for one of her saddles. He saddled his horse again and checked all the points that the saddle touched. "I think this one will work" he said. "You want to try it out?" he asked Elena.

"No, I'm tired" Elena said curtly, handing Stefan the reins. She wasn't entirely comfortable with Rebekah, especially after hearing Rebekah's warning about hurting Stefan. She didn't bother thanking Rebekah as she walked off.

When she was out of earshot, Stefan frowned. "I'm sorry about her" he told Rebekah. "We really do appreciate you lendin' us a saddle though" he said.

Rebekah just shrugged with a smile. "She probably doesn't like the fact that I'm Katherine's friend" she guessed.

Stefan sighed. "I don't know what I'm goin' to do with those two" he said, running his hand over his jaw.

"They're jealous of each other" Rebekah pointed out. There really was nothing anyone could do about that.

"Why though?" Stefan asked. "They both live such different lives. What could they both possibly want?" he asked.

Rebekah about fell on the ground laughing. Was he really that stupid? He looked at her quizzically. "Jesus Stefan" she said, grabbing for her side. It hurt from laughing so hard. "Isn't it obvious?" she asked. "They both want you" she said, slapping his shoulder.

Stefan looked at her for a moment, letting it finally click. Maybe he always knew that, but he had chosen not to dwell on it. Because he wasn't going to date either of them. "Katherine knows we won't work and Elena knows we are just friends" he said uncomfortably.

"Why?" she asked. "You have two great girls who like you. What's the point in bein' alone Stefan?" she asked.

Again, Stefan sighed. He didn't want to admit his feelings for Elena. "Katherine's doin' the rodeo circuit full time next. And I'm stayin' here" he pointed out.

"So what about Elena then?" Rebekah asked. She desperately wanted Stefan to be happy with someone.

Stefan kicked a rock that was near him. "Elena's goin' back home after she graduates next year" he said, trying not to sound disappointed.

Rebekah smiled, and it confused him. "You don't know that" she said softly. "I think she likes you a little more than you know" she told him, thinking back on how quiet and defensive Elena had been at the rodeo. Stefan looked right into Rebekah's eyes to see how sincere she was. "I mean, why wouldn't she like you?" she asked. "You're pretty much perfect" she said, sort of joking but not really.

It got him to smile though. "Thanks. You're pretty amazing yourself" he told her.

Rebekah walked forward and wrapped her arms around him. "You see that brother of yours 'round today?" she asked.

Stefan shook his head. "Nah. I think he's at the rodeo grounds" Stefan said, letting her go. Damon liked to practice every day riding bulls or roping off of his horse. The horse that Stefan had given him.

She sighed. "I suppose I'd best go and get him then" she said, thinking about how much easier it would be to date a steady, reliable and responsible guy like Stefan. Elena would be an idiot to pass him up. "I'll see ya" she said.

"Thanks again" he said, walking with her to her truck and opening her door for her.

"Any time" she told him, shutting her door and starting up her truck.

Stefan waved until she was out of sight. Then he turned back to his horse and led him back to the barn.

He was back inside the house ten minutes later, surprised to see Elena at the kitchen table working on her history project. She had decided to work on it alone, even though partners were allowed. Stefan grabbed a glass of water and sat down across from her. "There's no better saddle than one that's broken in" he said, watching her work on her diagram. He thought maybe she was upset that he hadn't bought her a new saddle of her own. She ignored him. So he sighed. "You were kind of rude to her …" he mentioned.

Elena dropped her pencil and looked up at him with a nasty glare. "Katherine's your friend and I'm rude to her too. What's your point?" Elena asked. She hated how upset she was over the fact that Stefan had friends that were girls. He spent nearly all of his time with her anyway.

"Well I don't like it when you're bein' rude to Katherine either" he told her. "They're both my friends and you're gonna have to figure out how to be around them without throwin' punches or bein' rude all the time" he said matter of factly.

"Or what?" Elena asked him, challenging him. "You're going to stop giving me my riding lessons?" she asked. Then she stood quickly. "I really don't care" she told him. Of course she did. That would mean spending less time with Stefan.

Stefan was about to say something when the phone rang. He quickly got up to answer it, turning to face Elena. He was surprised she hadn't run off. Maybe she wanted to continue the argument. "Hello?" he said. He looked right at Elena and she knew. "May I ask who is calling?" he asked politely. "Jenna" he repeated. He looked up and saw Elena backing away from the table, like she was ready to flee. Then she shook her head no, telling him that she did not want to talk to her aunt. "I'm sorry, but Elena is not in right now. Can I take a message?" he asked. He listened for a few moments. "I will make sure she gets it. Thank you for calling." He hung up the phone and saw Elena's panic slowly dissipate. "She says she loves you and misses you and she would like you to call her" he told Elena.

Elena just scoffed. "Really?" she asked angrily. "She misses me? Well who the fuck does she think sent me to this hell hole?" she spit out at him.

"She's your family" Stefan reminded gently. She couldn't shut her out.

"Family?" she asked, her voice full of pure disgust. "Family does abandon you, Stefan" she said angrily. "You should know better than anyone" she spat at him, having overheard her aunt and Alaric on the phone on numerous occasions, talking about how Stefan's parents had left him at such a young age. Was it hurtful for her to throw that in his face? Absolutely. Did it make her feel better? Not really.

Stefan let the pain he felt slowly sink down inside of him. Of course he knew what abandonment felt like. It wasn't every day that your parents woke up and said they didn't want to be parents anymore. "You should try and work things out" he said quietly, his eyes avoiding hers.

Was he going to cry? Elena felt a sharp pang of guilt hit her, but she pushed it aside and laughed bitterly instead. "I don't need her. I don't need anyone" she told him. "And I sure as hell don't need you" she said.

He winced at how much anger she was unleashing. Then again, he knew that all that anger was just covering up so much other emotional pain that he was terrified of what might happen when she let herself feel all of that instead. Seeing that he wasn't going to reply, she grabbed her pencil and her paper and took off out of the room. He heard her run up the stairs and then slam her bedroom door.

Stefan sat back down, taking slow breaths. He closed his eyes, willing himself to not think about his parents and what they had done to him and his brother.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was 2:43 AM when he heard it. A sharp cry followed by a fearful "no" coming from her room.

Stefan put his sweats on as he padded across him room, through the bathroom and slowly opened the door leading into her room.

And there he saw her, in the blue light shining in the window from the moon. He froze, unsure if she was asleep or awake or both. Elena was leaning against the headboard with her knees pulled up to her chin and her arms wrapped around them. He could hear her crying, but he didn't know if she knew he was there.

Slowly, he walked over to her bed and sat down. She didn't move. He was pretty sure she was still asleep, having a nightmare. "Elena" he said softly, touching her arm. She was drenched with sweat, was shaking like she was truly terrified, and she still didn't acknowledge him. "Elena" he said a little more forcefully, shaking her.

"No" she cried. "No."

Stefan reached over and turned her bedside lamp on. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. She really was in distress. He had always heard people say that you weren't supposed to wake them up. But he thought it would be cruel to make her continue to suffer like that. "Elena" he said, shaking her harder.

Slowly, her eyes opened and she lifted her head some, looking and probably feeling completely confused and dazed. She saw his worried eyes looking into hers as she tried to adjust to the light. Although she didn't remember what she was dreaming about, she knew it was probably about the accident. A couple times a week, it happened. But not usually this bad. She slowly took notice of how sweaty she was, and her eyes burned from her tears.

She was so embarrassed that he had found her like that. "I …" she began, only for her tears to come back as she tried to think of a way to explain all of this.

His heart ached for her as he reached his arms out, embracing her tight and pulling her against him. "Shhh" he whispered, letting her know that she didn't have to explain herself. He didn't want her to feel ashamed or embarrassed that he had found her like that. "You don't have to say anything" he told her, smoothing out her hair and placing it over one shoulder, out her face.

Slowly, she reached her hand up and placed in on his shoulder for something to hold on to. She leaned her head against his chest and continued to cry. His hand made slow circles on her back, trying to sooth her.

And it was working. Soon, all she could think about was the rhythm of his hand on her back and how comforted she felt. She hadn't felt like that in a long time. His slow and steady heartbeat against her ear was so calming that she wished she could listen to it for the rest of the night.

After about twenty minutes or so, he looked down at her and realized that she had fallen back asleep. Carefully, he rolled her over and put her down, tucking her into her covers.

His heart still hurt, finding her like that, and he wondered how often that happened to her. He was exhausted, yet instead of going back to his room, he backed up and sat down in the chair at her desk and watched her.

Just in case it happened again.

**A/N: It is okay to cry because you do not have your own Stefan to hold you like that.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: The enthusiasm over this story is incredible. Thank you all so much. **

**I hope you enjoy this update! Do let me know what you think, and what you would love to see happen :D **

Stefan got himself back to his room before her alarm went off. He even got to sleep for half an hour since she always got up earlier than him anyways to do her hair and makeup.

When his alarm did finally go off though, he silently cursed. He was tired as hell. But she hadn't had anymore nightmares, nor had she woken up again. Now the question was, how did he approach her about it?

Stefan slung his feet off the side of his bed and yawned, shaking his head slightly to help wake himself up. His bathroom door was halfway open and he could see Elena standing in front of the mirror, using a straightener to straighten her hair.

Slowly, he got up and put his sweats back on as he made his way towards the bathroom. Normally, he'd leave her be until she was finished. But he wanted to make sure she was okay, and that she knew he was there for her. He pushed the door open a little more and her eyes caught his in the mirror. "Morning" he said quietly. He could tell that she had put on extra makeup that morning to cover the dark circles under her eyes.

She didn't answer him. She just unplugged her flat iron and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to give it a little more volume. She was avoiding him like crazy. "Elena" he began, taking an encouraging breath before he continued. "About last night … if you ever need to talk …" he trailed off, figuring she knew what he was talking about. How could she not?

She turned on him suddenly, like a frightened, trapped animal. The fear in her eyes, like she was horrified that he knew a dirty little secret of hers, was unmistakable. Her hands hit his chest forcefully as she pushed him backwards into the wall. "You didn't see anything" she said angrily, shoving him one last time for good measure before backing up and leaving the bathroom. She shut her door and left Stefan feeling guilty that he had upset her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena wore her headphones the entire drive to school that morning and the entire drive home. She didn't talk in class, but that wasn't unusual. She sure as hell didn't make eye-contact with Stefan once.

So he left her be.

Until they got home. She decided to get her chores done earlier in the day. Everything but the feeding. Stefan found her sweeping the barn. She startled when she turned and saw him standing there. "Hey Elena?" he asked, walking towards her.

Elena set the broom down and attempted to walk past him. She didn't want to see him. Be near him. Think about him. His arm reached out and caught her, though she didn't fight him. She must have been too exhausted. "I told you I don't want to talk about it" she warned. She'd never talk to anyone about it.

He had expected her to get defensive. So he was ready for it. "I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go to the dance with me on Friday night" he said, completely throwing her off. "It's sort of an end of the year tradition. Nothing formal. You can wear your jeans if you want to" he added.

Elena looked up at him like she didn't know what to do. That wasn't what she was expecting him to say. "No" she answered him.

He had been expecting that too. "Think on it" he said, giving her a soft smile. "I'd like to take you." His arm slowly pulled away from her and he reached over and grabbed a halter and lead rope off of the hook. "Go get Red saddled up" he told her.

"I don't feel like riding" she told him. It was more out of stubbornness than exhaustion.

"Tough" Stefan told her. Riding was good for her, and he wasn't going to let her give it up just to prove a point. "He needs exercised" he said, pointing over at his antsy horse who had his head over the stall door, trying to unlatch the handle and let himself out. "Stay in the arena" he said, walking toward the barn door.

Elena looked over at the horse, who gave her a small nicker, telling her to let him out. But she just didn't feel like it. Elena walked towards Stefan and shoved the rope and halter into his hands. "Screw you Stefan" she told him, leaving him to stand in the entrance.

Stefan sighed as he heard her footsteps walk away. So being tough with her didn't work either. He was out of ideas.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Where's Elena?" Ric asked as he passed a basket full of biscuits.

Stefan looked up at him, seeing his disapproval that she wasn't there. Damon wasn't either, to be fair. "She's tired" Stefan said.

"She sure is tired a lot" Ric said, passing Stefan the green beans next.

"We had a long weekend" Stefan reminded him.

"Congratulations by the way" Ric said, grinning as he helped himself to the mashed potatoes. "What are ya plannin' to do with all that prize money?" he asked.

Stefan smiled, glad the topic was off of Elena. "I gave my tie down winnin' money to Rebekah" he said. Ric was the only person he'd ever tell that to. "It ought to help her this summer. Entry fees and such" he added.

Ric nodded. "I reckon it will" he said. "That was very generous of you, helpin' that girl out like that." There was a short pause. "What about your half from the team ropin' with Damon?" Ric asked curiously.

Stefan shrugged. "Probably put it towards the horses" he said. Another silence fell over them as they ate. "Jenna called yesterday" Stefan mentioned. Ric seemed to perk up some. "She sounds like a lovely woman" he said with a smile. Like a woman Ric was madly in love with.

Ric smiled. "She's a very lovely woman" he said. He had very fond memories of Jenna.

"You ever think 'bout visitin' her?" Stefan asked. "Surely I could hold this place down for a few days."

Ric laughed. "You're not the one I worry 'bout Stefan. And I might take you up on that offer one of these days" he told him.

The rest of dinner consisted of light conversation about cattle and horses. Same old, same old. When Ric was finished, he grabbed his plate. "I've got some book keepin' to get done" he told him. "Night."

"Night Ric" Stefan said, clearing the table and taking his turn to do the dishes.

When he was finished, he grabbed for the plate he had prepared and walked upstairs. Her door was still shut. He hadn't heard a word out of her since she left him in the barn. She was being stubborn, but that didn't mean she couldn't eat.

Stefan opened her door just a crack to see if she was awake. She was. She was sitting in the windowsill, staring out at the sunset. "Brought you this" he said, holding up the plate for her. She turned slightly to see the plate in his hands.

"I'm not hungry" she answered.

He walked towards her, setting the plate down near her. "You haven't eaten much today" he said. She didn't say anything. She just looked back out the window. He hated feeling so helpless. He had seen her make progress, and now she was regressing.

Stefan kneeled down near her, watching her carefully. She was in such turmoil, and it hurt to see her like that. "Don't push me away, Elena" he said quietly. He reached up and attempted to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. She hesitated at first, moving slightly. But then she stilled, seemingly giving in to him. He considered that a small success and he didn't want to push his luck. So he stood back up and walked away from her.

"I'll go with you" she said, just before he left. "I'll go to the dance with you" she clarified.

"I'm glad" he told her. "Not much fun goin' by yourself" he added. She was looking out the window still, so he closed her door behind him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next day, Stefan had asked Ric if he could pick Elena up from school. Stefan had to go a few towns over to get some supplies for his horses and he hadn't wanted to drag Elena all around with him. Elena hadn't seemed to care, even though Stefan apologized for not being able to take her home.

He had been gone for four hours or so when he finally did make it back home. Ric had saved him a plate thankfully, since he didn't eat in town. "Elena in her room?" Stefan asked, shoveling forkfuls of corn into his mouth.

"I reckon" Ric replied. "She okay?" he asked. "She's sure been spendin' a lot of time in there." He liked it better when she was out in the barn with the horses.

Stefan avoided his eyes as he shrugged. No, she wasn't alright. "Hormonal teenage girl thing" he said.

Ric nodded. "You boys was a hell of a lot easier to deal with" he said, scratching his chin. "Well, I suppose her bein' in her room is better than he gettin' into trouble somewhere." Stefan nodded. "I'll see you in the mornin' Stefan" Ric said, slapping his shoulder.

Stefan smiled, even though he felt guilty for lying to Ric. But it wasn't his place to say what happened to Elena the other night.

When Stefan finished his plate, he grabbed the box he brought in and wandered upstairs. He knocked on Elena's door on his way by and was surprised to hear her invite him in. "You're back" she said, and he wondered if she was waiting for him.

He nodded. "I uh, I brought you somethin'. Got it while I was in town" he said, handing her the box. He sat down on her bed with her. Elena looked at him curiously as she opened the box. Inside was a pair of brown and turquoise cowboy boots with rhinestones. Just like the ones Katherine and Rebekah wore. "I got to thinkin' that you've earned yourself a new pair of boots with the way you're ridin' these days" he said, smiling at her. "And I know how much you wanted the pretty ones" he added. So he had half lied. Sure, her riding had improved. But he really bought her the boots to make her feel better.

Elena took one boot out and admired it. It wasn't long before a smile appeared on her face. "They're beautiful" she said, taking the other one out and looking at him. "I can't believe you bought these for me" she told him. They must have cost him a fortune.

"I wanted to do something nice for you" he explained. That's what he did. He did nice things for other people.

"Why?" she asked. It wasn't like she had done anything nice for him lately. Or ever.

"Just because" he shrugged. "Maybe you can find yourself something to wear with 'em to the dance" he said, getting up off of her bed.

"Yeah, maybe" she told him.

"Goodnight, Elena" he told her, leaving her room.

"Night Stefan" she said. When he was gone, she smiled even more as she hugged her boots to her. They really were beautiful.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Friday afternoon, Stefan tucked his plaid shirt into his best pair of blue jeans. He sat down on his bed and pulled his best pair of black cowboy boots on, followed by his black cowboy hat. Then he stood back up and looked at himself in the mirror. He never took much pride in the way he looked, but he wanted to be somewhat presentable for Elena's sake.

Stefan checked his watch and then grabbed for the bouquet of flowers he had ran and grabbed after dropping her off at home. So he was being cheesy and she would probably hate it. But she had to at least give him points for trying.

"Stefan are you ready?" Elena asked, walking into his room. She stopped when she saw him holding flowers, and looking quite handsome. "Flowers?" she asked.

Stefan nodded nervously. "You look very beautiful" he said, taking in the matching turquoise sundress she was wearing with the new boots he had bought her a few days before. Some of her hair was pinned up, and the rest fell down in curls. Screw beautiful. He thought she looked fucking gorgeous.

"Thank you" she told him. "Are you going to give those to me, or hang on to them all night?" she asked.

Stefan mentally cursed himself as he handed them to her. Why was he so nervous? It was just Elena. "Sorry" he said, looking down at his feet.

She grinned. He was kind of adorable when he was nervous. "Shall we go?" Elena asked. He looked up and nodded. "Good" she said, leading the way. She stopped off at the kitchen to put the flowers in water before they walked to his truck. "You washed it" she said, admiring how new and shiny it looked.

He opened the door for her, smiling too. "I didn't want you to have to climb up into a dirty truck tonight" he told her. She looked too pretty for that.

"How thoughtful of you" she said, watching him shut the door for her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The dance was in full swing by the time they arrived. And it was nothing like the dances back home. Everyone was so … tame. And … country.

There were a few couples out on the dance floor dancing to a slow song, but most everyone else was waiting for a more upbeat song to start. Elena was starting to regret telling him she would come. "Come on, let's dance" he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the dance floor. Another slow song came on as he grabbed her hand and placed his other arm around her waist, holding her close.

Elena relaxed into his arms as she let him lead, turning them in slow circles to the rhythm of the song. "You're good at this" Elena whispered in his ear.

Stefan smiled. "You make it easy" he told her. She was a great dance partner.

She felt him squeeze her hand and she wondered if he had done it on purpose. "I like this song" she said. She had heard it a few times since coming to Wyoming. It was slow, but catchy at the same time.

"Luke Bryan" Stefan said, telling her the artist. All the women seemed to like him. "Come on. Let's go and get something to drink" he told her, taking her by the hand and heading towards a table in the back.

He handed her a cup filled with punch and she took a sip. "Where's Katherine?" Elena asked. She scanned the room and couldn't find her.

Stefan shrugged. "Not really her scene" Stefan told her. Katherine would rather be with her horse.

Elena smiled. "It's my scene" she said, setting her cup down and grabbing his hand. An upbeat song came on and she had plans for them. "Come on cowboy. Show me how to line dance" she said, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

Stefan smiled, happy to see her so alive once again. "You'd better be able to keep up" he warned, pulling her through the crowd and back to the dance floor.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena was laughing when she and Stefan stepped out into the cool night air. The dance had ended, but she didn't want to go back to the ranch. Not yet. She was having entirely too much fun for the night to end. "Take me someplace else" she told him.

Stefan looked at her curiously. "Like where?" he asked.

Elena leaned up on her tippy toes and whispered in his ear. "Surprise me" she told him, stepping back and smiling. She ran towards his truck, leaving him to catch up.

Elena had her arm out the window as he drove. She was still smiling though. "Hang on" he told her, turning off of the main road and taking off through a field. It was a perfect night to park the truck and look up at the stars.

Elena hopped out of his truck, looking around her. There was nothing for miles. Just wide open space and the stars above them. "Here" he said, tossing her a sweatshirt from behind his seat. She'd get cold after a while. He put the tailgate down and spread a blanket out in the back of his truck for them. Then he climbed up. Elena slipped the sweatshirt on and gave him her hand so he could pull her up. "This is one of my favorite things to do" he told her, sitting down.

Elena walked towards him and sat down in-between his legs so she would have something to lean against. At first, he froze, unsure of what to do. But it appeared to be innocent. She just sat there against him, looking up at the sky. "It's quiet out here" she mentioned. He nodded in agreement. "Do you know what all this is?" she asked, waving up at the sky. "I used to. But I guess I forgot over time" she said quietly.

Stefan raised his arm over her shoulder and pointed up at the sky. "That's Orion" he told her. "And that one over there is Hercules" he added.

"There's the Big Dipper" Elena said, pointing. She knew that one. "I can't ever find the smaller one though" she told him.

"Right there" Stefan said, grabbing her finger and moving it slightly to their line of sight with the Little Dipper.

"Which one is your favorite?" Elena asked him.

"Pegasus" he told her.

"Because of horses" Elena said, smiling. He smiled too. A quiet silence fell over them for a few minutes as they both looked up at the dark sky. "You bought me the boots because of what happened the other night, didn't you?" she asked. It was a gift to make her feel better.

"Did they make you feel better?" he asked, chancing that she might open up and talk with him about it. Elena shrugged. "Do they happen a lot? Your nightmares?" he asked quietly. He felt his heart rate speed up at the thought of her opening up with him. He honestly didn't think she would.

She grabbed his hand in hers though, wanting to hold on to him. She wanted that comfort if she was going to share any insight into her fucked up life. "A few times a week. Not usually that bad though" she answered.

Stefan felt her shiver and guessed it wasn't just due to the cold. "Do you ever talk to anyone 'bout it?" he asked. Because bottling it up inside surely wasn't a good thing.

Elena laughed slightly. "Never" she told him. "I don't think anyone knows except you. You must be a light sleeper" she said.

He was in no position to tell her what to do. But he did want to help. "I wish I could help you in some way" he told her.

Elena smiled sadly. "I just want to be normal again" she told him.

"And what would make you feel normal again?" Stefan asked.

Elena turned around so that she was facing him, resting her hands on his knees. "Kiss me" she said, staring into his eyes. He looked at her hesitantly. "Are you really going to let Ric dictate what you can and can't do the rest of your life?" she asked him.

"No" Stefan answered. "But I don't necessarily think that me kissing you is in your best interest" he told her.

Elena smirked. "Shouldn't I be the one to determine that?" she asked him. Again, he looked hesitant. "I'm not asking for sex" she informed him. "I just want to feel close to someone. It would be the perfect ending to the perfect night."

"Feel close to someone?" he asked in a quiet, breathy voice.

Elena shrugged slightly. "I'm all alone over here. And I could seek some sort of closeness from some stranger" she told him. "But I'm asking you, because I trust you" she told him. "So are you gonna kiss me or not?" she asked, waiting expectantly.

Well when she put it like that, it wasn't such a hard choice anymore. "Well I reckon I am" Stefan said, tugging her towards him and kissing her. Ric was going to murder him, yet he didn't care right then. He had Elena in his arms, with hers around his neck as their lips met. He had never kissed a girl who was as enthusiastic about it as Elena was. Most of the girls he knew were quiet and shy, letting him do all the work.

But Elena was wrapping her legs around his waist, straddling him, spicing up their make out session. He had to admit. It made him incredibly turned on and extremely nervous that the only thing between his crotch and hers was her underwear as her dress rode up and bunched along her thighs.

But God, he couldn't get enough of her. His hands found their way into her hair as her fingers caressed the back of his neck. It was getting heated between them, and had gone far beyond the innocent kiss he had planned.

"Come here" she whispered, getting her lips away from his momentarily. She moved away from him slowly, taking his hand so he would follow. She lay back in the bed of his truck and wrapped her arms around his back, inviting him to move on top of her. It was a dangerous position to put them in, but she trusted him not to let it go too far. All she wanted was some hot and heavy kissing with a little caressing.

Stefan's lips crashed back down on hers as he got acquainted to their new position. His hand was resting lightly on her bare hip, moving up and down slowly. Her dress was nearly bunched up around her waist now, though she didn't seem to mind.

His hand on her hip was making her feel warm and tingly all over, and it excited her. She didn't get that kind of a rush anymore unless she was shooting back alcohol. And she wasn't getting any of that lately. Elena placed her hands on his sides, wishing he was shirtless. She knew exactly what was under that shirt though. From his perfectly sculpted abs all the way down to that perfect v that led down towards his jeans.

His kisses became slower, more sensual and she honestly thought she might melt into the back of his truck. "You're good at this too" she mumbled.

Stefan smiled. "I think we should stop" he told her regretfully. He just didn't want things to go too far.

She wasn't mad, only because she agreed. "Can we stay here a little longer?" she asked.

Stefan nodded. "Yeah" he said, kissing her forehead softly. That had caught her off guard, feeling his warm lips being so gentle with her. He moved off of her, though he stayed close. He helped her fix her dress, making sure it was covering her up again.

They both ended up on their backs, staring up at the sky. He grabbed her hand and held it in his, wanting her to know that he was there, with her.

Elena couldn't help but think about how nice it was to be there with him. If only she could have stayed there, like that forever, then maybe, she wouldn't have felt so much pain all the time.

**A/N: Well, she cracked a little. But I think she still has a long ways to go. Thoughts on Stefan?**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Just a little lighthearted fluff. Thank you for reading :D**

The entire week had been pretty damn good as far as Stefan was concerned. Being out of school meant he was working with the horses all day. He had even taken on three new clients who were willing to pay him a generous sum of money to have their horses tuned up and in shape by the middle of July for competition. Then there were his younger horses he was working with to sell. He was going to be mighty busy the next few months, but he didn't mind.

Spending all day with horses beat sitting in a classroom all day, learning about stuff that he didn't really care about.

But the horses weren't the only reason that his week had been going great. Elena was having a pretty good week too, which made Stefan's week all the better.

Even Damon had noticed a difference in her, and he wasn't around much, nor did he care. Typically when he did come around, Elena would glare at him and he'd called her a spoiled city brat and then be on his way. Stefan was pretty sure Damon hadn't called Elena a name all week. And Ric definitely appreciated the change he saw. Elena was nicer to everyone and even smiled. She ate dinner with them and didn't make excuses to get out of doing her chores. She even helped Stefan with his work, claiming she was bored and needed something to do. Stefan liked to think that she just wanted to be around him and that's why she asked to help.

She was a fast learner, which Stefan had to appreciate. The horses he was working with weren't all as tame as the horse she rode, but she didn't once falter when a horse got a little temperamental with her on the ground. He'd show her what to do and she'd do it. The only thing she hadn't really cared for was the pushy horse that had stepped on her boot, squishing her foot.

He had even paid her for her help, even if some of the time, she was just keeping him company. She seemed to appreciate earning a little bit of money and he had the money to spare. Okay, so maybe he was giving her a pretty generous wage. Not many 17-year olds around there were making 20 bucks an hour, but that's what he had paid her. Ric had begun to argue with him about it, but Stefan had cut him off, informing him that good help was hard to find. Or rather, finding a beautiful girl to spend the day with was hard to find out in the middle of nowhere.

They hadn't kissed since that night under the stars, though they hadn't spent much time alone either. Ric was usually lurking around the ranch, always stopping by to chat with them.

It was only recently that Stefan began to wonder if Ric was incredibly lonely. He didn't date. Ever. And when women in town did flirt with him, he never let it go beyond that. But when they asked him about Jenna, his whole face would light up. Clearly, he had feelings for her, but according to Elena, Jenna never really talked about Ric until she sent Elena out there.

So, aside from wondering if Ric was lonely, the week had been great. To top it all off, the sun had been out all week and that meant Elena had been wearing shorts that showed off those legs that he had been able to caress in the back of his truck a week ago. He hoped the sun would be out every day for the rest of the summer. Because he could get used to it.

With it being Friday now, Stefan was looking forward to the weekend. He was going camping with Katherine the next day and was looking forward to spending time with her. She could be a lot of fun, and they were taking the horses with them. He did feel guilty for not telling Elena and he wondered how he was going to keep it from her. Maybe he could sneak out, but more than likely, he was going to have to lie to her. Something he didn't want to do.

He tried not to think about that though.

He rolled over in bed, not quite ready to get up. He kept hearing a noise at his window though, like something was hitting it. He finally had to get up and see what it was. He pulled the curtain back and saw Elena standing below, holding the reins of two saddled horses. The sun had just come up and he was impressed that she was already up, let alone ready to go for a trail ride. Elena waved him down, indicating that she wanted to go riding. And who was he to say no to a morning ride?

He pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt as well as socks. He grabbed his cowboy hat and ran downstairs. Not even Ric was up yet. Stefan slipped his boots on and met her outside. "Finally" she told him. "I've been tossing rocks at your window for over ten minutes."

Stefan grabbed his set of reins and smiled. "You're mighty chipper for this early in the mornin' Elena" he said, climbing up into his saddle.

Elena smiled as she climbed up into her saddle. She was loving the one Rebekah had loaned her. It fit her much better. "I thought it was a nice morning to go for a ride" she told him. Really, she had looked for any excuse to go riding with him. All week, she had been wanting to ride. But her new found love was the trails. The woods, the creek. Both were so peaceful.

"That it is" he agreed, turning his horse and walking toward the gate. Elena followed after him and watched as he opened the gate without ever having to get off his horse. "Ladies first" he said, backing his horse up so Elena could ride through. She didn't know if she would ever get used to that. Those polite, country boy manners. Stefan shut the gate and their horses fell into an easy slow trot as they made their way through the field to the start of the woods. He couldn't help but notice how much better she looked riding. Her form was much more relaxed, like she had been riding for years. She held the reins loosely in her hand and she didn't grab onto the saddle horn for balance. Then he smiled proudly because he had been the one to teach her all of that.

When they got to the trail, they slowed the horses down to a walk. "I'd like to go to another rodeo" she said, taking notice of how her leg brushed up against his as their horses walked close together.

"There's one not far from here in a few weeks" he replied. "It's pretty small, and no one is any good" he said, giving her a small smile. "But they have a dance afterwards" he added. When he looked over at her, he noticed a yellowish green bruise on her arm. It wasn't huge, but it was noticeable. "Where'd you get this?" he asked, grabbing her hand and pulling her wrist closer for him to see.

Elena pulled her hand away from him and turned her arm so she could see what he was talking about. "Probably from moving those hay bales" she said, inspecting her bruise.

"You shouldn't be lifting those by yourself" he informed her. "Some of them weigh more than you I'd bet" he added.

Elena scoffed. "I'm stronger than I look" she informed him. "Besides, you've got a bruise on your elbow" she pointed out.

Stefan twisted his arm to look at it. Sure enough, he did have one. "Probably from that filly spookin' yesterday, ramming me into the gate" he said. That had hurt a little.

"Okay, so your bruise is definitely cooler than mine" she laughed.

He liked the fact that she was in such a good mood. "I don't know 'bout that" he told her. "Mine was from stupidity and yours was from workin' hard" he said.

Elena laughed again. She had witnessed Stefan's incident with the young horse the day before. "That little horse done kicked your ass" she said, doing her best to use his accent.

It wasn't half bad, if he was going to be honest. "It's them girls that are the most trouble" he said, continuing to carry on with her teasing. Elena laughed some more. "They charm you, get you to trustin' them and then without warnin', they pull a fast one on ya and you're eatin' dirt or hangin' on for dear life" he elaborated.

"Maybe you trust to easily" she pointed out.

Stefan shrugged. "Maybe" he answered.

Elena chose to change the subject. Her curiosity was getting the better of her. "What's down this trail?" she asked, stopping her horse. They had never been down that one.

Stefan swung down off of his horse and tied the reins to a nearby tree. "Come on, I'll show you" he said, taking her reins for her and tying them as well. Elena got down and followed him. The trail eventually narrowed down into a steep, rocky path that had a nearly eight foot drop. Elena held his hand until he jumped down, reaching his arms up to help her. She sat down and carefully estimated the distance from where she was to his arms. "I've got you. I promise" he said, giving her a reassuring smile.

Trust. She hated that word. Elena took a small breath as she scooted herself away from the edge and fell into his arms. Her feet hadn't even touched the ground as he held her close in his arms. They both sort of just awkwardly stared into one another's eyes, not sure what to do. Were they supposed to kiss?

Stefan shifted her in his arms some, not wanting to set her down just yet, but also knowing that he probably should. Because her hips were resting against his and that did things to him that he did not want her to know about. He shifted her in his arms again, only making it worse on himself. Every time he moved her, she just rubbed against him. "Told you" he managed to say in a deep, quiet voice.

She knew he would catch her. She had watched him throw around things on the farm that weighed twice as much as she did. The problem though, was trusting that he would. Since when did she trust Stefan Salvatore? "You can put me down now" she told him quietly. Because being that close to him did things to her too.

Stefan slowly set her down on her feet. "This way" he said, leading the way. Elena noticed they were on a riverbank. A rocky riverbank. She carefully navigated the rocks, tripping over some now and then and thankfully catching herself. "You doin' okay?" he asked.

Elena nodded. "Yeah" she answered. She looked up and saw him coming back to help her. She accepted his hand.

"Not too much further" he assured her. And he was right. They went around the river bend and that's when Elena saw the river widen out and still. There was a small shack, a rope swing and random lawn chairs placed on the bank. "Our local swimmin' hole" he told her.

Elena laughed. "Oh you really are a redneck, aren't you?" she asked.

Stefan grinned. "This is the best swimmin' you'll ever do 'round here" he informed her. Elena watched as he walked towards the water, peeling his shirt off and tossing it on a nearby chair. He took his boots and socks off next. She gave him an amused look as he began taking his jeans off, tossing those on the chair as well. She crossed her arms and smiled as he turned around to address her, in only his briefs. "Come on" he hold her, waving her over.

Elena shook her head no. "I'm not going in there" she told him. For all she knew, there were snakes and other critters in that water. Not to mention, it wasn't that hot out yet.

"City girl" he said, shaking his head in disappointment. "I shoulda known you'd chicken out" he added, turning around and walking into the water.

Elena glared at him. She had good reason to not get in that water. Elena walked towards the water's edge, watching Stefan wade farther into the river. He turned around and then splashed water at her. "Hey!" she warned. "Stop splashing" she told him.

"Come on!" he yelled. "It's warm!" he said, trying to encourage her. "I dare you" he told her, dipping his head under water and then running his hands through his hair, giving it that sexy tussled look.

Elena had to admit, watching the water run off of his abs was pretty enticing. He splashed at her again. "Fine" she said, pulling her tank top over her head. She tossed it on top of his clothes. She proceeded to take her boots and her jeans off, taking notice at how he really couldn't take his eyes off of her. Did he think she was going to swim fully clothed? "No more splashing" she warned, pointing her finger at him as she walked into the water. The rocks hurt her feet at first, but soon she was walking on soft clay instead. He was right. It was surprisingly warm. She went under water briefly, coming up for air and brushing the wet hair out of her face.

"See?" he asked, swimming up next to her. "Not so bad" he said, smiling.

Elena followed him out a little deeper, treading water and smiling. It was a refreshing way to start her morning. "Do you come here often?" she asked him.

"Yep" he told her. "It really is the only way to cool off 'round here when we start breakin' 100 degrees" he told her.

"You don't have AC in the house?" Elena asked, somewhat alarmed.

Stefan laughed at her. "Course not" he replied.

"Don't laugh at me" she said, laughing back. She splashed him playfully.

"Stop splashing" he said, mocking her from earlier. So she splashed him again, getting water in his eyes.

He disappeared under water and she suddenly had a bad feeling. And she was right to have that bad feeling. He grabbed ahold of her foot and pulled her under water with him.

When he let go of her, she swam to the surface, smiling. He came up smiling too. "You suck" she said, still smiling as she wiped more wet hair out of her face. She took a few small breathes, feeling a little tired.

"You okay?" he asked. He swam closer to her, pulling her to him. "Relax. I've got you" he told her, treading water for the both of them.

"I haven't done much swimming lately" she said, wrapping her legs around him to keep them out of his way.

Stefan swallowed hard. She was super close to him again, and this time, they both didn't have much clothing on. "You'll be sick of swimmin' by the end of the summer" he told her with a smile.

Elena looked into his eyes, studying him for a moment. "You haven't kissed me all week" she pointed out.

Stefan stared right back at her. "I didn't know you wanted me to" he replied. There had been plenty of times when he had wanted to.

Elena smiled. "I didn't want Ric to see" she told him, bringing her hands up to rest on either side of his neck. "I like sneaking around" she said, her eyes lighting up at the thought.

"He's not here now" Stefan said, his voice somewhat raspy from nervousness. He'd give anything for her to kiss him right then.

Elena looked around and smiled. "No he's not" she grinned. No one was. She ran her thumb over his bottom lip, brushing water droplets away. Then she leaned in and kissed him. It was a completely innocent kiss. Her lips gently moved with his.

And that was the problem. He wanted more. His arms pulled her closer to him and his lips moved against hers more aggressively. It had surprised Elena at first, but she was soon kissing him back with the same energy that he had.

Pretty soon, they could hear each other breathing as they continued to kiss. Elena felt her chin touch the water and realized that Stefan was more concerned about kissing her than keeping them afloat. "We're sinking" Elena said, pulling away from him.

Stefan blushed slightly, bringing color to his pale cheeks. "Sorry" he told her, swimming them back towards the shore. She stood up and walked with him. They both watched as the other got dressed.

"We should head back" Elena said, knowing Ric would wonder where they were. Stefan nodded. She held out her hand, initiating that contact like a nervous teenager with a ridiculous crush on a cute boy.

Stefan smiled and gladly accepted her hand as he walked with her. But there was so much pent up sexual tension that they didn't make it very far before they were kissing again.

Elena smiled as she eagerly kissed him, feeling his hands on her ass, lifting her up so she could wrap her legs around him again like she had done before. It was starting to become a favorite thing of hers, wrapping her legs around him.

Their make-out session intensified as they stood there on the river bank, kissing like horny teenagers. Which is essentially what they were.

But Stefan would never let it go any further than that. And deep down, Elena knew that. Still, it was fun to kiss him.

It was even more fun, knowing they looked ridiculous. Their hair was a mess and they were still partially wet. Yet Elena hadn't felt this carefree in a long time.

Stefan pulled away from her, his breathing matching hers. "We really should head back" he told her, smiling when he saw her smiling at him.

She nodded in agreement, though he didn't make any move to set her down. He just kept smiling at her. "You're going to have to put me down" she reminded him.

"Right" he said, laughing slightly as he set her on her own feet again. Carefully, they made their way back to the trail. "I'll give you a leg up" he told her, lifting her up so she could get back up to the trail. Elena crawled her way up and watched as Stefan expertly climbed his way back up on his own.

The horses were waiting patiently for them. Stefan checked her saddle, tightening the cinch for her. "I want to try the barrels today" Elena said, climbing back up into her saddle.

Stefan grinned as he did the same. "We'll see" he told her, turning his horse around. "Come on" he told her.

Elena grinned as well. He didn't think she was ready for the barrels. Well she'd show him. "Race ya!" she announced, catching him by surprise as she kicked her horse forward and took off.

"Elena!" Stefan called out, nearly having a heart attack. He watched her for a moment, waiting for her to fall off. She'd never gone that fast before.

But the girl was making her way towards the ranch with no sign that she would fall. Maybe she was ready for the barrels. He couldn't help but smile as he finally let his own horse run after them.

Elena looked back and saw him gaining ground on her. Eventually, he was running beside her. They raced for a few hundred yards before pulling up, having reached the gate. "See?" she asked, her heart racing. It was exhilarating, going that fast.

"I'll set the barrels up for you this afternoon" he said, smiling as he shook his head. He opened the gate for them and they made their way back to the barn.

"I can practice all weekend" she said, unsaddling the horse.

Stefan's smile slowly faded. "I uh, I won't be here this weekend" he told her. She looked over at him. "I'm going camping, with some friends" he said.

"Oh" Elena said, feeling disappointed that he wouldn't be there all weekend.

"I'm taking this guy, so you'll have to take a few days off from riding" he added. He felt guilty about that too. "I'd invite you, but it is kind of a guy's trip" he said, lying straight to her face. He hoped that she would feel less left out if he told her that.

Elena smiled. "You're having guy time" she said. "And what do you guys do when you go camping?" she asked, brushing the horse out.

Stefan shrugged, starting to believe his own lie as he answered her. "Fishing. Riding. Sittin' 'round the campfire tellin' stories" he replied.

Elena nodded. "Well you have fun" she said, tossing the brush back into the bin. "Maybe you'll take me camping one day" she added, smiling as she led the horse away to be put in the pasture.

Stefan watched her walk away and then looked down, closing his eyes. He was a terrible person, yet he didn't have the balls to tell her the truth. She'd be upset and everything would go back to the way it was.

Miserable and unpleasant.

**A/N: What do you think? Should he have been honest with her?**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: This update has me having all sorts of feelings. You have been warned.**

**Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think as I do read every review and take into consideration what you have to say :)**

It was early Saturday morning when Stefan got up. Not even the rooster was awake.

Stefan finished packing his truck and even got Red loaded up, ready to head off and meet Katherine. He was glad to get to spend time with her, though he didn't want to leave Elena.

Or maybe he didn't want to leave Elena with the lie he had told. Either way, he was conflicted. But Katherine was expecting him.

Stefan stopped by Ric's room and let him know that he'd be home sometime the next day. Probably during the afternoon depending on when Katherine wanted to return.

Then Stefan wandered upstairs, intending to tell Elena goodbye. She was sound asleep when quietly let himself in to her room. Stefan sat down on her bed and pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. He almost didn't want to wake her up because she looked so peaceful. "Elena" he whispered.

She opened her eyes and saw him staring down at her. "You're leaving?" she whispered sleepily.

Stefan nodded. "I'll be back sometime tomorrow" he told her. "Can you make sure all my horses have water?" he asked. It was supposed to be hot while he was gone. Elena nodded sleepily. "Thank you" he said. He stood up and gave her a friendly smile before walking out of her room.

Elena turned over and faced away from the door. She had wanted him to stay, but she hadn't known how to ask. She probably didn't have the right to ask him to stay, but she really wanted him to.

Needed him to, maybe.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Katherine was waiting on her front porch when Stefan pulled into her driveway. She got up and practically ran to him, jumping into his arms as he picked her up and spun her around. "You're late" she said, poking him in the shoulder.

"Nah, you're just early" he told her. She rolled her eyes at him and walked back to grab her bag for him to load into the truck. He liked the fact that she packed light. All she had in her bag was probably extra underwear and a sweatshirt. She disappeared for a moment and came back out with Daisy. Stefan smiled as he gave the horse a pat on her neck. "She's lookin' great" Stefan said.

Katherine grinned. "Well, my life does revolve around her" she reminded him, walking past and getting her loaded up. "Go and see your friend" Katherine encouraged. Daisy bit at Red, reminding him that she was the boss in that trailer.

"I know your life does" Stefan smiled. Katherine doted on that little horse. "Anythin' else needs to be loaded?" he asked her.

"Just the cooler" she said, leaving him once again as she walked back into the house to grab it. She came back out carrying it, showing off those muscles that she'd gotten throwing hale bales around since she was twelve. There was no doubt that Katherine was tough. She'd eaten dirt more times falling off a horse than Stefan could count. "Now we're good" she said, handing Stefan the cooler.

He tossed it in the back and walked with her to the passenger side of his truck. "Let's ride" he said, opening her door for her.

Katherine grinned. "You know where you're goin' cowboy?" she asked him.

Stefan just laughed. It was true. They had gotten lost quite a few times together. "I know where I'm goin' Katherine" he said, flicking her hat off of her head before shutting the door. He went around and got in, starting his truck up and taking off.

Of course Katherine would find a local station playing a Taylor Swift song and of course she would sing right along. She was pretty good. "We, are never ever ever, going to find the camp site" she sang, changing the words to fit their current situation.

"I ain't lost" he told her an hour later, stopping in the middle of a deserted road and looking around him.

Katherine turned the radio down and laughed at him. "Turn around. There's a gas station a few miles back. I'll ask for directions" she said.

"I ain't lost" Stefan reiterated.

Katherine just shook her head at his stubbornness. "We'll ask this guy" she said, getting out of the truck when she saw a truck coming their way. She stood on the center line and gave the driver a small wave. One that Stefan was sure he appreciated a little too much. "Hi there" Katherine smiled as the truck pulled up beside her. "We're looking for a way into Horse Creek" she told him in her most charming Wyoming girl accent.

The older man was all too willing to help. "Well darlin' you gotta take the next left up there and follow that for 'bout ten miles. Then y'all can take any of them roads off to the left and they'll get ya back into that ol' creek there" he told her.

Katherine smiled. "Thank you sir" she told him. "My friend and I really appreciate your help" she said, nodding towards Stefan.

"My pleasure" the man said, tipping his hat to her. "You kids be careful now. There's been a lot of bear sightin' back there" he said. Katherine nodded as he put his truck back into drive and pulled away.

She was all sorts of smiles as she hopped back into Stefan's truck. "And that's how it's done" she smiled proudly.

Stefan couldn't help but smile at her too as he began driving again.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena stared up into the hot summer sun, wishing she could be in the river cooling off. She took her heavy gloves off and decided to take a break. She had scrubbed over ten water troughs and buckets and gave all the horses fresh water.

She sat down on an overturned bucket and took a drink from her water bottle. She still wasn't going to use a hose, no matter how many times she had watched Stefan do it. She saw Ric walking her way and wondered how he wore jeans and a t-shirt in that kind of heat. The humidity was sure to kill them all. "There's stuff to make sandwiches if you're hungry" he told her. It was almost eleven.

"I'm not hungry" she told him. She hadn't felt well since she woke up. Upset stomach and a headache that she couldn't shake. She looked down at the dirt and avoided any further eye-contact with him.

"You feelin' okay?" Ric asked. If he wasn't mistaken, he thought she might have been missing Stefan.

"I'm fine" she lied, looking back up at him. "Is there any way to get ahold of Stefan?" she asked. Ric looked at her curiously and she hoped to God that he wasn't going to question her about why she wanted to talk to Stefan.

"You can try the cb radio in my truck. If he's near his truck, he'll hear it and pick up" Ric said. Elena stood up and followed him to his truck. She was hopeful that Stefan would pick up. Ric grabbed the radio and put it up to his mouth. "Stefan, this is Ric, do you read me?" he asked. Both remained quiet and waited a few moments for a response. "Stefan, this is Ric and Elena. Do you read?" he asked. Nothing. "Sorry, Elena" he said, putting the radio back. "He must not be near his truck." Elena nodded. "If you want to try later, just push this button here and talk into it" he added.

"Okay" Elena said.

"You're looking a little red. You best go on inside and take a break from this heat" he told her.

"Sure" she said, feeling disappointed that Stefan didn't pick up.

Elena went back into the house and took a quick shower. She threw her hair up into a ponytail and opened up her bedroom window, letting some air come through.

She sat on her bed and grabbed her purse, taking out a small envelop that she kept with her. Taking a deep breath, she opened it and pulled out the letter to read.

_Elena,_

_We are so proud of you. I know you were worried about making the team, but your dad and I knew that you would make it. You're too bright and cheery for them to have passed you up. Your smile can light up a room, and we hope that you do just that when you are out there in front of everyone, cheering your school on._

_Congratulations, baby girl. I love you and I can't wait to see you cheer at all the games._

_Love,_

_Mom_

Elena quickly pulled her eyes away from the letter, needing to take a breather. She didn't let herself cry over it very often, telling herself that it was pointless.

She never talked with anyone about it either, because she pushed everyone away. And although that letter was making her cry right then, she still folded it up and put it safely back in her purse, rather than ripping it up and throwing it away. She didn't take out the family photo she had in there with the letter. She hadn't looked at that since she put it in there.

She allowed herself two minutes exactly to cry over the letter before the wiped at her tears harshly. "Stop it Elena" she told herself. Then she heard a truck pull up and she thought for a split second that it might have been Stefan. For that split second, her heart felt a little lighter, thinking it was him.

But it wasn't. When she got up to check, she saw Damon get out. Ric met him from the barn and Elena really had to strain her ears to hear them from the window. "You know where Stefan's at?" Ric asked.

Damon shrugged. "Nah, why?" he asked.

Ric sighed. "Elena wants to get ahold of him and he's not pickin' up the radio" he explained.

Damon shrugged again. "All Bekah told me was he went campin' with Kat" Damon said.

Elena immediately felt her heart drop into her stomach. At least, it felt like that had happened. She gripped the windowsill to steady herself. She honestly could not believe what she was hearing.

"He went with Katherine?" Ric asked, scratching the back of his head.

Damon spit and then nodded. "Yep. Somethin' 'bout Kat whinin' that he ain't spending any time with her lately" Damon said. "They're probably off trail ridin' in the mountains" he added.

Ric nodded. From what he could tell by his brief conversations with Stefan, Elena wasn't all that fond of Katherine. Ric had noticed that Katherine hadn't been spending as much time at the ranch since Elena showed up. "Hey, you do me a favor?" Ric asked.

"Yeah man" Damon told him.

"Don't be tellin' Elena about who Stefan went campin' with. I don't think she knows he's with Katherine" Ric said.

Damon smiled. "Ah, right. Elena's pretty jealous over Kat I hear" he said, crossing his arms. Elena cringed. She wasn't jealous. She just hated Katherine. "Who woulda thought that my baby brother would have two beautiful girls fightin' over him?" he laughed. Usually, all the girls were all over Damon. Which did not thrill Rebekah in the least bit.

"Damon" Ric warned. The last thing any of them needed was Elena all up in arms over Stefan's camping trip.

Damon threw his hands up in defense. "I hear ya" he told Ric. Ric nodded. "I'm gonna move the herd to the far end of the property. There's more shade" he informed.

"Sounds good to me" Ric told him. They both nodded to each other before going their separate ways.

Elena went back to her bed and sat down, telling herself that she was fuming angry. Telling herself that Stefan was just another person in her life who lied to her.

When she first tear escaped for the second time that day, she realized that she was crying over a stupid boy who had lied to her.

But Stefan lying to her was just the icing on the cake for her. Something else had been bothering her since she woke up.

She broke down in tears, placing her hand over her face as a way to shield herself. Though, no one could see her and no one was going to hear her.

Everything hurt though. Everything had been hurting for a while, but she allowed herself to admit that everything hurt right then. And it was a scary revelation, to admit that you were hurting.

She didn't want to be in Wyoming anymore.

No. She couldn't be in Wyoming.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I'm really glad we're getting to do this" Katherine said as she and Stefan walked their horses lazily along the creek. "We used to be inseparable" she reminded.

"We grew up" Stefan told her. "I've got my own business and you have your rodeos" he added.

Katherine looked over at him. "I'm really proud of you Stefan" she told him, wondering if she had ever told him that. "You're the most sought after trainer in the area. And you do amazing work" she told him. Stefan smiled at her, feeling shy with her praise. "Course, I just love the fact that I get first dibs on training whenever I need you" she added with a small grin.

"I guess I should feel lucky to know one of the top barrel racers in the state then" he said. "You remember the first time you tried to barrel race in my arena?" he asked, thinking back on it.

Katherine nodded. "I was six" she said. "I was on that stubborn crazy pony. Dotty" she remembered.

Stefan laughed. That literally had to have been the worst pony he had ever come across. "You got her to run around one barrel and then she stopped and laid down to take a nap with you still on her" he said.

Katherine laughed as well. "I like this one much better" she said, petting Daisy. "She loves winning as much as I do."

"You two are quite a pair" he agreed as they made it back to their camp. They let the horses graze and then sat down on a log facing their unlit fire. "Should we set up the tent?" he asked.

"In a minute" Katherine said, looking up at the sky. "Is it just me or is that sky getting darker all of a sudden?" she asked.

Stefan looked up at the sky with her. "Did you check the weather report by any chance?" he asked.

"I might have read something about thunderstorms" she said casually. "But I didn't think it would actually storm" she said. Usually, the rain just came and went as it pleased.

"Let's load the horses just in case" he told her, standing with her to catch them. They were not happy about having to leave the grass and go back into the trailer. As soon as Stefan felt the first raindrop, he knew he had been right to suggest they load them up.

"Think it will be that bad?" Katherine asked, coming to stand next to him. The first crack of lightening shot through the sky, followed by a loud rumbling sound. Then the rain cut loose.

"Yeah" Stefan laughed, rushing towards his truck with her. He opened his door and she climbed inside first, followed by him. More lightning and thunder hit. Stefan looked at Katherine and smiled. "Could be worse" he told her.

Katherine peeled wet hair out from her face and tilted her head with a curious smile. "How so?" she asked. Because the rain had soaked her pretty good.

"We could have had the tent set up" he told her. That would have been a mess to take down.

She rolled her eyes and smiled. "Think we can go somewhere else?" she asked.

Stefan shrugged. "I think the whole area is getting hit" he told her. "Maybe it will pass soon" he said, sitting back in his seat some and watching the entire sky light up again. Katherine looked over at him, finding the courage to place her hand on top of his. He looked over at her, wondering what she was doing. But he knew. He knew exactly what she was doing. "Katherine …" he said, preparing to turn her down.

But she was kissing him before he could.

Stefan turned his head, ending their kiss. "I can't …" he said, unable to look her in the eyes. He was afraid that he had hurt her.

Katherine was hurt. She had expected him to kiss her back. "Because of Elena?" she asked, turning to look out the front of his truck.

Stefan could sense the rejection in her voice and he hated that. "Maybe" he answered. And he was being honest about that. He and Elena were nowhere near a relationship, but he cared about her. If he felt guilty for kissing Katherine, then it must have meant he felt something for Elena.

"Why do you even care about her?" Katherine asked, slightly upset now. Katherine just couldn't understand that. Elena was mean and horrible and she had nothing in common with Stefan.

"Because someone has to" he said. And that was the honest truth. "Look, I'm sorry Katherine. I don't want to hurt you" he told her.

"Stop" she said, holding her hand up. "I'm the idiot who tried to make a move on you" she announced. "Anything I feel is my own fault" she added. "Let's just go home" she said, scooting away from him.

"Katherine, please don't be upset" he said, feeling incredibly guilty now. She looked like she was about ready to cry, and he would hate himself if that happened.

"Just take me home Stefan" she said, looking out the passenger window as the rain continued to come down.

He stared at her for a moment before starting his truck up. He looked over at her again and desperately wanted to say something, but didn't. He didn't know what else to say.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan was emotionally exhausted when he finally pulled into the ranch. Dropping Katherine off had been horrible because she wouldn't talk to him, let alone look at him. She had grabbed her bag, her cooler and her horse and walked away without so much as giving him any hope that they were still friends.

It was still pouring down raining and the lightning and thunder were present every now and then. Clearly the weather was not going to let up anytime soon.

Stefan grabbed Red out of the trailer and was leading him towards the barn when Ric came running out into the rain from the house. "Stefan!" he said, looking scared and out of breath. "I can't find Elena" he said, bending over from having sprinted from the house.

Stefan's worry quickly spread across his face. "What do you mean you can't find her?" he yelled over the rain.

"I went to check on her at dinner and she wasn't in her room" Ric explained, hearing the rain drowning his words. "I've checked the entire ranch and I got Damon out checkin' the roads right now!" he said, raising his voice.

Lightning lit up the sky and Stefan's horse spooked. He ran with him back to the barn and Ric followed. The last thing Stefan wanted to think about was Elena out there in that weather by herself. Maybe she went for a walk and got lost? "Is anything missin' from her room?" Stefan asked, taking Red's halter off and shutting the stall door.

"I looked, but I don't know" Ric said, following Stefan back out into the rain. He ran with Stefan back towards the house. "She was tryin' to get ahold of you earlier. Tried you on the radio but you weren't pickin' up" he explained.

Stefan knew why he hadn't picked up. He had been trail riding with Katherine. He ran up the stairs and into her room, checking around. Instantly, he knew what was missing. "Her backpack's missin'" he said. Then he checked her dresser drawers. "Some clothes are missin' too" he announced.

"Shit!" Ric yelled. The last thing he needed was to lose Jenna's niece.

Stefan was trying not to panic, though that was harder said than done. "Did you check the swimmin' hole?" Stefan asked, thinking that was a place she might go to hide out. Though he was confused as to why Elena would have left to begin with.

"I checked the entire ranch, Stefan" Ric told him, running his hand over his face. "I don't know why she'd take off like this" he said, feeling scared and frustrated.

Stefan looked up at Ric suddenly. "Does Elena know I went campin' with Katherine?" he asked.

Ric shook his head. "No. I don't know" he answered. "She was actin' mopey today but I thought it was just from the heat" he explained.

"Which way did Damon go?" Stefan asked, leaving Elena's room and going back down the stairs.

Ric was hot on his heels. "He went north on 30" Ric answered.

"Take 30 South. I'm going to check all around town. Check all gas stations and rest areas" Stefan instructed, grabbing a rain jacket out of the closet. Ric looked pale, like he was going to pass out. "We'll find her" Stefan assured him. Ric nodded reluctantly, but Stefan was already out the door.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

She was incredibly cold as the rain soaked through her sweatshirt. The only part of her that was warm and dry was her feet. She was wearing the plain boots Stefan had bought for her. They may have been ugly, but they were practical she realized.

She looked up and saw a sign, telling her that she had ten miles to walk until she reached town. Elena checked her phone and saw that it was only six at night, though it was dark out due to the storm. She wasn't a fan of thunder and lightning, but she didn't let that stop her.

She wanted to leave, and she would do whatever she needed to do to make that happen.

Elena readjusted her backpack on her shoulder and continued walking. She hadn't seen one car pass by, and she figured she wouldn't.

But it must have been her lucky day because she could hear one approach from behind her. She stopped and put her thumb out, hoping whoever it was would see her.

The truck hit its brakes and came to a stop. She looked up to see a semi-truck with the passenger door open. "Where you headed to darlin' in this weather?" the truck driver asked.

Elena looked up at the much older man nervously, knowing it would be a very stupid idea to get in the truck with him. But she had no money and no other way. "I'm trying to head east" she yelled up to him.

The man smiled. "I'm goin' as far as Tennessee" he told her.

Elena nodded, taking one last look back towards the way she came. Then she grabbed onto the handle on the truck and lifted herself up, shutting the door behind her.

The driver put the truck back into gear and the truck started rolling once again. Elena sat nervously beside the driver, saying a silent prayer that he was a good guy and not a creeper.

Little did she know, he wasn't looking to give her a free ride all the way to Tennessee.

He would want something in return, sooner rather than later.

**A/N: Do NOT EVER do what Elena is doing. I am showing you what not to do, because this is so dangerous. **

**Any sympathy for Katherine? **


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: So, I updated this story again because so many of you were not happy with where I last left the story off at. **

**I also read your reviews about wanting other characters brought in. I will start thinking about what to do with them ;)**

**Thanks for your enthusiasm and please let me know what you think! **

"So where ya lookin' to end up at?" the truck driver asked Elena as they were approaching town. He had been looking over at her quite a bit since she had climbed up in the truck with him.

Elena looked over nervously at him, starting to regret getting in the truck with him a little more each second. She thought he was in his 40s. A bigger guy sporting a beard. "Virginia" Elena answered as confidently as she could. She really didn't want to talk to him and honestly hoped that they could just remain silent all the way to Tennessee. She looked down at her phone in her hands that was going in and out of service. It was getting late. Elena closed her eyes and willed herself to stop thinking about what Stefan and Katherine were doing.

He turned his head slightly and smiled at her after a moment. Okay, so maybe he was a creeper. She had a bad feeling about the situation. She knew it was stupid. But she was upset and because of that, had not thought rationally about her decision. Maybe she should have waited until Stefan got back and asked him for help. Even if he was a lying asshole. "That's a long ways from here" he said. "I reckon we oughta be gettin' to know each other pretty well on this trip" he added.

Elena remained quiet, though her heart rate had increased slightly. She reminded herself that she could get out at any point if he started getting weird or wanting … things from her. The driver pulled into a turn lane and drove into a gas station. "Why are we stopping?" Elena asked. There should have been no stopping. If they kept driving, they'd get to Tennessee by middle afternoon the next day. Then it was a few more hours to home. She'd have to figure out how she was going to accomplish that, but luckily, she had almost 20 hours in the truck to think about it.

The driver smiled. "I need a coffee. You want anything darlin'?" he asked. Yeah. She wanted to get out of that truck and run for her life.

"No" Elena told him. She watched the guy get out of the truck, leaving it running. She didn't figure she'd be able to figure out how to drive it before he got back. He disappeared inside the store and she felt a lot more comfortable with him not in there. Her brain was telling her to get out and make a run for it, but her heart was telling her to stay. She needed to get to Virginia and this was her only option at the moment. Jenna wouldn't have helped her if she had called. Elena was sure of it, because Jenna didn't want Elena anywhere near Virginia. And Stefan was gone, Ric would have sided with Jenna since he was madly in love with her, and Damon, well, he probably wouldn't have been around to help even if she had tried asking him.

It was desolate around there and that concerned Elena. She'd only ever been in town during the day with Stefan and even then, there weren't many people around. Usually just a few famers picking up supplies or a few kids who rode their bikes to the store to buy candy. Elena tapped her fingers against the window, wondering what was taking the guy so long in there.

It wasn't until she saw a familiar looking truck pull up in front of the truck she was sitting in, that she started to panic some. What the hell was he doing there?

She watched as Stefan got out of his truck, on his way in to the store. Her heart raced, and by the time she remembered to duck out of sight, he'd seen her. It was brief, but they had locked eyes for a split second. She'd never be able to forget the look in his eyes. Relief mixed with confusion and anger. She was utterly and completely screwed.

Elena fumbled with the door, desperately trying to find a lock to keep him out. Because he was headed straight for her side of the truck. And he didn't look happy. When she couldn't get the door locked, she moved into the driver's side of the truck as Stefan opened her door. "Elena!" he yelled, attempting to grab her foot as she tried to escape. She already had the driver's side door open and was crawling out. She almost felt bad about kicking at him, until she remembered that he had lied to her. Then she didn't feel so bad.

Elena had her backpack on as she finally was able to jump out of the truck. She felt her ankle roll when she landed, but she attempted to ignore the sharp pain as she tried to run. "Elena stop!" she heard him yell. He was running around the front of the truck after her. Why she thought she could outrun him, she didn't know. Even on a good day, she probably couldn't outrun him. She barely made it to the back of the trailer before Stefan had ahold of her.

She could tell just by the way he had ahold of her that he was mad. "Let me go!" she demanded, trying her hardest to get away from him. As mad as she was, she wondered why Stefan was no longer with Katherine. He wasn't supposed to be back yet. "Stefan, get the fuck off of me!" she cursed, twisting and shoving and doing all she could do to get out of his arms. Did she want to get back in the truck with the creepy truck driver? Not really. Did she want to go with Stefan? Definitely not.

"I ain't lettin' go of you" Stefan told her, wrapping his arms around her even tighter as he tried to drag her back towards his truck. She was putting up a pretty good fight for such a little thing. Good thing he had wrestled all sorts of animals growing up because she wasn't going to stop until she got loose.

There was just one problem though. Elena's truck-driving buddy was on his way back out of the store, looking mighty pissed that Stefan had ahold of Elena against her will. "What the hell is goin' on?" he roared, coming at Stefan before Stefan really had time to do anything. The driver grabbed ahold of Stefan, forcing Stefan to let go of Elena. She jumped back and watched in horror as the truck driver threw Stefan onto the pavement. "There ain't no reason for you to be puttin' your hands on the lady" the driver said, pointing his finger at him. He turned to Elena as Stefan struggled to get back up on his feet, having hit the ground pretty hard. "Get in the truck honey" the driver told Elena. "I'll handle this asshole" he assured her, rolling up his sleeves, ready to knock Stefan out.

Elena was quite frightened by now, almost in shock. She didn't want Stefan to get hurt. Not by some big, burly truck driver who could probably kill Stefan without even blinking an eye. "Elena, don't" Stefan told her, finally getting to his feet. His elbow was throbbing from when he had landed on it. Elena looked from the driver to Stefan, shaking her head. Who she was shaking her head no to, she didn't know. She didn't want any of this. All she wanted was to go home.

"It's alight honey. He ain't gonna stop you" the driver coaxed, holding his hand out to her.

Stefan's eyes pleaded with Elena not to go with the guy. Stefan didn't want to have to fight the driver, because the dude was big and could have easily killed him. But Stefan wasn't going to let Elena get back in that truck either. "She's under age" Stefan told the driver, knowing that was his best strategy. "If you drive off with her, I'll call every God damn sheriff in this state and they'll come after you" Stefan threatened. Probably not the manliest way he could have handled the situation in front of Elena, but it was probably the most effective.

The driver turned to look at Elena again, looking somewhat nervous. "You under age?" he asked her.

Elena didn't want to answer, because she still wanted a ride to Virginia. It was then that Elena realized Stefan was going to do everything in his power to stop her from leaving. And that kind of pissed her off. "She's stayin' with me and my family. I can promise you that she's under age. You don't want that kinda trouble" Stefan told the driver.

The driver ran his hand over his face, knowing he was fucked. Then he shook his head. "Get outta here" he said, pushing Elena away from his truck. "I ain't going to jail over somethin' like this" he said, climbing back up into his truck. He released the brake and put the truck in gear before driving off.

Elena watched as her ride to Virginia disappeared into the night. "Are you fucking crazy?" Stefan yelled at her. It startled her. He approached her quickly, unable to contain his anger. And he wasn't one to get angry. But then again, he had never been so scared before either. "Gettin' in a truck with a stranger like that?" he yelled at her. Stefan could have killed her right then and there for making such a foolish decision.

"He was giving me a ride!" Elena yelled right back at him, feeling frustrated with the entire situation now. She was so confused. Angry, hurt and feeling pretty damn powerless. She knew she had made a stupid choice. But she didn't need Stefan making her feel anymore guilty about it than she already did.

Stefan couldn't believe it. There had been too many gruesome stories about young women accepting rides from strangers, only to be found brutally beaten to death in a ditch somewhere off the side of the road. The thought of that happening to Elena made his stomach feel sick. She made it seem like it was it was no big deal, what she had done. "You think he was just gonna give you a free ride to wherever?" Stefan asked her, getting in her face. She didn't like it, but she didn't give him the satisfaction of moving away either. "There ain't no such thing as a free ride 'round here Elena. He was gonna want sex and if you told him no, he woulda …" Stefan said, unable to finish what he was going to say. Because the thought of someone hurting Elena like that was unbearable. The look in her eyes told him that she understood what could have happened. That she knew how scared he was that it could have happened. That he cared enough to not let that happen to her. "If you need a ride, you ask one of us Elena. You don't go hitchhikin' down these roads!" he said angrily.

That last part had set her off though. Him telling her that she could have asked him for a ride. Triggered something, really. "You weren't there!" she yelled at him, unable to fight back her angry tears. He looked right into her eyes, waiting for her to say it. Waiting for her to accuse him of being with Katherine. "You were with her!" Elena yelled, letting the tears fall down her face.

Stefan was torn between being angry and feeling guilty. "You're not my girlfriend, Elena!" he yelled at her, choosing to be angry. "Why does it matter that I was with Katherine?" he asked.

"You lied to me!" Elena cried out, shoving Stefan. She still didn't know if she was more upset about him being with Katherine, or lying about it.

"Don't put your hands on me" he warned in a low voice. He was too angry and exhausted to put up with her pushing him around like that.

"Fuck you" she told him, shaking her head. She'd do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. She turned around and began walking off. She'd walk to Virginia if she had to.

"You ain't goin' anywhere except back to the ranch!" he yelled, grabbing ahold of her arm.

"No I'm going home!" she said angrily, spinning around to face him. Their eyes mirrored back to one another the same mix of emotions. Betrayal. Fear. Anxiety. Confusion. It was strange how two people who barely knew each other, knew each other so well.

He finally had to drop her intense gaze, because it broke his heart. They had gone from trusting one another a day ago to outright being angry with one another. "No, you aren't" Stefan told her, tugging on her arm as he began pulling her towards his truck once again. He was done with her acting like that.

"Stefan, let go!" she told him, struggling to get away. He didn't listen. He was just like all the rest of them. He just kept dragging her along. She wouldn't go back to the ranch. She couldn't. "Stefan, I need to go home. You don't understand" she said, letting her tears fall even harder.

He just figured she was turning on the waterworks to get her way. "No, Elena. I don't understand" he told her, stopping at the passenger door of his truck. "Why do you NEED to go home?" he asked her.

Elena looked at him desperately, figuring she was going to have to give him an answer. "I need to see them" she said, fighting back a sob.

"Yeah, well I don't think your aunt or your brother want to see you" he said harshly. It was the truth though.

His words stung more than he would ever know, and she cried even more, closing her eyes and feeling defeated. Her anxiety had hit an all-time high by that point and all she wanted was for him to understand. Things were not going to get better until she got to go home. When she finally opened her eyes again, Stefan could see something different. Fear was present. A new vulnerability was there that he hadn't seen before. "I need to go home" she said sadly, no longer fighting the grip he had on her. She'd given up, because it hurt too much. That's all she did anymore was fight people. Fight with them, fight against them. "Please" she begged softly. "Please help me."

Stefan looked at her, trying to look right through her and figure out what was going on. But he couldn't, because she wasn't giving anything away. She didn't trust him. And he knew something was really bothering her. The pain he could feel coming from inside of her was chilling. "What do you need from me?" he asked quietly, deciding against his better judgment to help her.

Elena stopped crying suddenly, though tears still ran down her cheeks. Was he really going to help her? After their fight and the way she had horribly treated him for the 100th time? "I need to fly home" she told him nervously. She needed a ride to the airport and she needed a plane ticket. Then, she waited for him to tell her no.

But Stefan nodded. "Okay" he said. No further questions asked. He opened the door for her, but she hesitated to get in. She was afraid he would take her back to the ranch. "I'll take you to the airport" he assured her. He sounded so exhausted and defeated and it was unnerving.

Still, she hesitated. But what other choice did she have? She needed to go home. Slowly, she moved past him and got into his truck. He shut the door for her and went around to his side.

Ric was going to kill him. Elena was not supposed to be going home at all. Not until Jenna said so.

They both were going to be in so much trouble.

Yet he couldn't shake the fact that something wasn't right. And that scared him the most.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

When they arrived at the airport, Stefan parked his truck, intending to go in with her. He didn't have to ask her to know that she didn't have enough money to buy her plane ticket. She had grabbed her backpack and was already walking inside. It was a pretty small airport, but he figured they could get her back to Virginia one way or another.

Stefan grabbed an extra sweatshirt from behind his seat and jogged quickly to catch up with her. He found her at the ticket counter, inquiring about the next flight home. The lady behind the counter was typing away on her computer, looking up the information. "We have a flight leaving here in about an hour. There is a three hour layover in Houston before arriving in Richmond at around 7:15 AM tomorrow" she explained. A redeye flight.

"How much?" Elena asked.

"The total after taxes and fees is $1,123" the woman replied.

Fuck. So that had been way more than Elena was expecting, though she didn't know why she was surprised. She was trying to take a last minute flight out of a tiny airport. She didn't want to have to ask Stefan to loan her the money, and was thankful that she didn't have to. He was already opening his wallet and handing the woman the money. "I'll pay you back" Elena told him. It was the first thing she had said to him since getting in the truck with him. She didn't know why him paying for her ticket of all things made her feel ashamed.

Stefan just shook his head though, collecting his change. "That won't be necessary" he told her. He grabbed the plane ticket and handed it to her. Maybe it was his way of making it up to her for lying. "Come on. You should get checked through security" he told her.

It was a short walk to where they had a security area set up. There were a few people in line, but not many. Elena stood there awkwardly, wondering if she was supposed to say anything to him. Her eyes hurt from crying earlier and her ankle that she had rolled was killing her.

"Here" he said, handing her a dry sweatshirt for her trip. "You should get out of your wet one" he told her. Elena looked up at him before slowly accepting his sweatshirt. He was making this harder by being nice to her. And he wasn't even questioning her. "Take this too" he said, opening his wallet again and giving her his last hundred dollar bill.

Elena shook her head though, refusing it. "I have some money" she told him. Not much, but enough to grab something to eat.

"I'd feel better if you took it" he told her. He kept thinking about if she got stranded at one of the airports for some reason or needed to take a cab home from the airport. "I'll just worry if you don't" he told her, pretty much making her take it so she didn't worry that he was going to worry. Elena pocket the cash and stood there awkwardly again. "Look, I don't know what's goin' on, but I hope goin' home is the right decision for you" he told her. Because it sure was going to cause a shit storm back home for him.

If only he knew. "I should go" she said, refusing the opportunity to explain things to him. She didn't bother to say thank you or even goodbye as she turned around and walked towards security. She pulled out her ID and waited, knowing that Stefan was watching her.

When she made it through security and had put her boots back on, she turned to look back, expecting him to have gone.

But he hadn't. He had waited to make sure everything had gone alright. When he saw that she was okay, he raised his hand slowly in an attempt to tell her goodbye. His eyes looked so sad and that gave her an unsettling feeling. She wasn't supposed to care about his feelings.

Elena simply stared at him for a moment before walking away. She made it to her gate and sat down, working on getting her wet sweatshirt off. Then she put his dry one on and cursed when the first thing she noticed was that it smelled like him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan had used a payphone to call home to let Ric know that Elena was safe. He hadn't mentioned the truck driver incident and he hadn't mentioned that Elena was on a flight back to Virginia. All he had said was that he would be home in a while, and that had been good enough for Ric. Ric had been relieved, albeit extremely pissed with Elena for running away.

Once Ric found out that Stefan had sent her back home on a plane, Ric was sure to be pissed off with him too.

So Stefan took the long way home, trying to clear his mind in the night air. Katherine hated him. He had rejected her and she was going to be upset about that for a long while.

Elena, who he had thought he was growing closer to, ran away and put herself in a dangerous situation. And Stefan had yelled at her and had tried forcing her to come back home with him. He felt horrible about that, because that wasn't the type of person he normally was. But he had been scared.

He was also confused as to why she had wanted to go home. She hated it there and didn't like her aunt much either. It didn't make sense, yet the look in her eyes, the pain that he saw, told him that had needed him to listen to her and to help her.

So he had.

And he was pretty sure that he'd never see her again.

**A/N: I hope you are as frustrated and confused as Stefan is right now. **


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Aww, some of you guessed it ;) I hope I have somewhat eliminated the confusion. **

**I want to illustrate how much hurt is going on right now, for a lot of people. This is not a happy, fluffy story. Though, I will incorporate that of course.**

**Please let me know what you think!**

Stefan wandered in around 4 AM, hoping that Ric would be asleep. Unfortunately, he wasn't. He was sitting on the front porch steps, looking mighty pissed. Stefan took a deep breath as he got out of his truck and walked towards him.

Ric stood up. "I got a call from a very freaked out Jenna an hour ago" Ric said, biting back his anger. "Apparently Elena gave her a call from Houston, sayin' she'd be landing in Virginia early in the mornin'" he announced. Stefan couldn't even look at Ric. He was in so much trouble. "Fuck Stefan. Tell me you did not put Elena on a plane back to Virginia" he said, running his hands over his face.

"She wanted to go home" Stefan was quick to blurt out. Why, he didn't know. But she had been desperate.

"Of course she wants to go home Stefan!" he practically yelled at him. "She is free to do whatever the hell she wants there. The reason Jenna sent her out here's because she gets into trouble at home" he said, quite frustrated with the entire situation.

"You didn't see the look in her eyes" Stefan argued. "Somethin' was wrong. She didn't want to go home. She needed to go" he explained.

Ric shook his head. "You let her manipulate you" he said. "I trusted you to go and bring her back" he added, laying on the guilt. He was so disappointed in Stefan, and Stefan knew it.

"I won't apologize for what I did" Stefan told him, eying him closely. It was a bold move for Stefan, but he did it anyway. Then he stepped around him and went inside, needing sleep. Desperately.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan woke up midafternoon the next day and took a quick shower to wake himself up. Then he went outside to work with one of the horses.

For that hour that he trained for, his mind was completely taken away from everything that had happened. His thoughts about Elena getting into a truck with a stranger and his thoughts about how she would probably never come back to Wyoming, hadn't existed.

Hell, it felt nice not to have to think about any of that, so he pulled out another horse from the barn and worked with that one too.

Just as he was about to grab a third horse, Rebekah pulled up with her truck and trailer. Stefan waved to her as she opened her trailer and walked her horse out. "You got some time to look at this guy?" she asked.

Stefan smiled. "Yeah. Bring him on over" Stefan told her. He gave the horse a onceover and ran his hands along his legs. "How's he been doin'?" he asked.

"Not great" Rebekah answered. "He's hesitatin' around all the barrels now" she informed. "How are you doin'?" she asked.

Stefan looked up at her and saw her knowing look. Sometimes he hated the fact that she was friends with Katherine. "I've been better" he told her. "You talked with Katherine recently?" he asked.

Rebekah had sat up all night with Katherine as she cried her eyes out, actually. "Yeah" Rebekah answered, keeping the details to herself. "She's hurt, but you were honest with her. She'll come around" she told him. Stefan doubted that. "Where's Elena?" she asked.

Stefan laughed. She was another story. "Elena went home" he answered.

"What? Why?" Rebekah asked. "When's she comin' back?" she asked, firing off another question.

Stefan shrugged. "I don't know why she went home, and I don't think she'll be comin' back" he answered.

Rebekah could see how upset he was over it, even if he was doing a pretty good job of hiding it. "Did you shoot Katherine down because she's leavin' next year, or did you shoot Katherine down because you got feelings for Elena?" she asked. His eyes told her the answer. "Have you tried callin' Elena?" she asked.

"I doubt she would wanna talk to me" he admitted. "We didn't exactly leave off on good terms when I took her to the airport." He hadn't exactly been gentle with her when he had found her. He had been kind of a dick, honestly. Any relationship they had built in the short time she had been in Wyoming was most likely gone.

Rebekah looked at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Stefan" she said. Part of her wanted to go to Virginia and drag Elena back to Wyoming by her pretty little ponytail. But the other part of her thought this might have been a good thing too. Now Elena couldn't string him along.

"I'll survive" he told her, attempting to smile. "I just wish I could apologize for the way I behaved" he added.

Rebekah smiled. He was always the good guy, no matter how many times he got hurt. "Come here" she told him, pulling him into a hug. "You're a good guy, Stefan" she said.

"Thanks, Bekah" he said, hugging her back. Okay, so maybe he felt a little bit better. But not a whole lot. "I suppose we should see what's goin' on with this guy" he added, letting her go. "Get on" he said, holding out his hands to give her a leg up.

"No tack?" she asked, allowing him to lift her up.

He shook his head. "Trot around the barrels" he said, opening the gate for her. Then he walked over and knelt down to watch. The first time, he didn't see anything, so he moved over to the side. "Again" he told her, studying the horse and the way he moved. He furrowed his brow. "Run them" he told her, watching closely.

And then he saw it. The problem. "Hold up" Stefan told her. He walked over to Rebekah and the horse and ran his hand down the left front leg. It felt slightly warm to the touch, though it wasn't extremely swollen. Maybe a little bit tight. But something was wrong.

"What?" Rebekah asked, watching his face.

Stefan sighed. "His leg. I think he's lame" he said. The look on Rebekah's face was devastating. "It explains why he's refusing the turns. I think you need a vet to check him out. Depending on what it is, he might need some physical therapy. And rest" he explained.

Rebekah's face fell. It was the worst thing a horse owner could hear. That a horse was lame. "Physical therapy" she said, almost laughing. "I can barely afford entry fees and now I have to figure out how to pay for physical therapy?" she asked. She wasn't upset with him. She was just upset. "If he can't compete the rest of the season, I'm screwed" she said, holding back tears that Stefan was sure were going to fall.

Stefan placed his hand on her leg out of comfort. "I know a local physical therapist. He's fair in his rates" he mentioned. She still didn't look convinced. "I can help out with the cost. And if he has to rest, I've got a horse you can use the rest of the season" he told her.

This only seemed to upset her even more. "I'm not letting you do that" she said, swinging herself down off of her horse. She pulled on the lead and brushed past Stefan, stomping her boots as she went back towards her trailer.

"Rebekah" he said, refusing to have one more girl upset with him. "Stop" he said, grabbing her elbow and stopping her. She huffed from frustration, but she didn't leave. "You'd be doin' me a favor, taking one of my youngsters out and competing" he told her sincerely. "And as far as me helping with the recovery costs, you can come over here and help me with training" he said, trying to be encouraging. He pretty much paid Elena for nothing because she couldn't do a whole lot, but Rebekah could ride. And Rebekah was good.

"I hate being your charity case" she said quietly. It was the worst feeling ever.

Stefan grabbed her face in his hands so she had to look at him. "You're my friend" he reminded her with a small smile. "Hell, you're practically my sister" he corrected. "I want to help because I want to, not because I feel sorry for you."

Rebekah knew he was being honest, because he was the most genuine person she knew. She nodded her head and put her arms around him. Now, she wanted to kick Elena's ass for what she had done. "Thank you" she told him, holding him tight.

"Go and call your vet. I'll take care of the bill" he said. He let go of her and saw that she was crying. "Let's get this guy back to 100%, okay?" he told her.

She nodded as she rubbed her eyes and then loaded her horse in the trailer.

When her truck was long gone, Stefan made his way back into the house. Ric and Damon were tending to the cattle, so Stefan figured he'd take the next hour or so to enjoy some peace and quiet. Maybe he'd read a book or take a nap.

As he entered the house and started to go upstairs, he heard the phone ring. Reluctantly, he went back downstairs to answer it. "Hello?" he asked. There was silence and for a moment, he thought it might be Elena. He hoped it was Elena. "Hello?" he asked again.

"Is Ric there?" he heard a woman ask. Not Elena.

"No, ma'am" Stefan answered. "Can I take a message?" he asked.

"Umm, no, that's okay" she told him. "Is this Stefan?" she asked.

Stefan remained silent for a moment. "Yes ma'am, this is" he said cautiously. "May I ask who I'm speakin' with?" he asked.

"Jenna. I'm Elena's aunt" she answered. Stefan froze. He really did not want to hear how he had screwed up from her too.

"Is Elena alright?" Stefan forced himself to ask. It was also opening up the conversation for Jenna to yell at him for putting her on a plane home, but he was more concerned about Elena.

There was a long sigh as she prepared to answer. "Honestly? Not really" Jenna told him.

Stefan leaned against the counter. "Ma'am, I'm truly sorry if I stepped outta line by sendin' Elena home" he said, feeling guilty. "She asked me to help her and I honestly thought I was doin' the right thing" he explained.

"You did do the right thing" she told him, surprising the hell out of him.

"I'm sorry?" he asked, not sure he heard her right.

"I've been so busy and going crazy that I didn't see it" she said, rambling her way through her answer. He was confused. Didn't see what? "I should have known she would want to be here."

"I'm sorry ma'am. I don't understand" Stefan told her.

"Please, call me Jenna" she corrected him. Then she sighed again. "Elena's parents died one year ago today" she told him. He felt his heart clench in his chest. "She wanted to be home for the anniversary of their death. God, she hasn't left the cemetery since she got there this morning" she told him.

Stefan closed his eyes, feeling horrible. Of course, he wouldn't have known when exactly her parents had died. But it made perfect sense to him why she had wanted to go home so bad. To be with them. It hurt even worse knowing that she didn't want to tell him that was her reason. "I'm very sorry for your family's loss" he told her as sincerely as he could.

Jenna was silent on the other end for a moment and Stefan wondered if she was trying not to cry. "You know, she wasn't always like this" Jenna spoke softly. "She was such a beautiful, loving girl before the accident. It changed her, and I sent her out to Wyoming hoping she could heal. Find who she was again" she told him. "But I think I was wrong, sending her away" she added regretfully.

Stefan didn't agree with that though. He wasn't sure it was his place to say anything, but he was going to anyways. "With all do respect ma'am" he began, realizing he was supposed to call her Jenna. "I think sendin' Elena out here was a good thing. I think she was startin' to come around" he said, thinking back on the previous week and how Elena seemed happier than he'd ever seen her.

He heard Jenna sniffle and knew she was definitely crying. "Do you have some way to access the internet?" Jenna asked him. She remembered Ric mentioning that they really had nothing out there.

"I can go into town" he told her. He could get a wifi signal on his laptop sitting in the diner parking lot.

"I'd like to send you a few things" she told him, getting his e-mail address for him. "You're a good person, Stefan. Ric's told me all the things you've done for Elena" she said. She truly appreciated it. "I'll let you go and e-mail you those things" she added.

"Jenna?" he asked, wanting to ask her something before they got off the phone. "Can you tell Elena that I am thinking about her?" he asked, realizing how cheesy that sounded. He didn't know how else to put it though.

He didn't know it, but it had brought a smile to Jenna's face. "I'll let her know. Goodbye Stefan" she said, hanging up.

Stefan hung up the phone too and leaned against the counter, letting the entire phone conversation replay through his head. Then he remembered that she was going to e-mail something to him. Stefan quickly wrote a note for Ric, telling him he was going into town and would be back later. Then he ran upstairs and grabbed his laptop.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

So he didn't use his laptop much except for writing papers and occasionally looking up stuff. He hadn't checked his e-mail since school got out, but he only had a special offer from a local feed store so he wasn't too worried. The other new message was from Jenna. He clicked on the attachments, finding two videos and a handful of pictures.

The first video had a caption under it, telling him it was from September of 2011. Which would have made Elena about 16 and her parents would have still been alive. Stefan clicked on it and waited for the video to load.

It was a home video, at what appeared to be someone's house. Elena was in her cheerleading outfit, with her hair in a high ponytail. She was holding a paper plate with a piece of cake, though he didn't know what was being celebrated. She was laughing and smiling though, hugging various people who walked by.

It was the Elena that he had barely gotten glimpses of in Wyoming. Happy, content and loving. Someone off camera asked Elena if she was excited to start cheerleading for the school while someone else congratulated her for making the team as a Sophomore. Apparently the youngest on the team. He had to look twice to make sure she was indeed blushing, clearly uncomfortable with so much praise and attention. But she smiled and nodded her head. "I'm really excited. I couldn't have done it without you guys" she said. A woman walked on camera and gave Elena a hug and a kiss. "I love you Mom" Elena said, laughing at something her mother had said. "Aunt Jenna!" Elena called, waving her hand for Jenna to join her, which she did. Plopping right down in the chair with Elena and wrapping her arms around her. Then a little brown-headed boy came running over and Elena and Jenna let him climb up and share the chair with them. Someone asked Elena to do a cheer for them, and again, she blushed. She ducked her face behind the little boy and laughed.

It was heartwarming to see Elena like that. It was also painful to know that she was no longer that person because he parents were taken from her. Stefan opened the second video, this one at one of the games Elena was cheering at. She had a lot of energy and was smiling the entire time. She waved to whoever was filming – probably a family member – and blew them a kiss. She was quite good and Stefan could tell that she was very dedicated to what she was doing.

When that video ended, Stefan looked through the pictures. Various ones of Elena and her family. All showed Elena smiling and she looked genuinely happy.

Stefan shut his laptop down and leaned back in his seat. It was a real eye-opener for him to see Elena in such a different light. And he knew he couldn't save her, but he wanted to. Because that's what he did. He took care of others.

Stefan checked the time and decided he should probably order something to eat and take it home. He'd grab something for Ric and Damon too.

As he ordered, he tried not to think about everything on his mind. Katherine being mad at him. Rebekah's problems with finances and her horse. And all of Elena's pain and the fact that she was so far away.

Not even a double cheeseburger with fries and a sweet tea could take his mind off of any of that for long.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

At around 9 PM, Jenna asked the neighbor to watch Jeremy so she could go and get Elena. She wasn't sure if Elena would still be in the cemetery, and she wasn't picking up her phone. Of course she was worried, but she was trying to be strong. For Elena. For Jeremy. And for herself.

She parked the car along the street and got out, preparing herself to make the short walk to where he sister and brother-in-law were buried. She hadn't been to put flowers in months, and she felt horrible for that. It was just … too hard.

Jenna sighed with relief when she saw Elena sitting down in front of her parent's graves, hunched over and staring at them. As Jenna approached, she could tell that Elena had been crying. Slowly, Jenna knelt down by Elena, waiting for Elena to get up and storm off.

But she didn't. Elena just stared ahead. "You brought new flowers" Jenna said softly. Elena said nothing. So Jenna sighed again. "Honey, I'm so sorry I didn't even consider that you might want to be home for the anniversary" she said.

"Don't call it that" Elena spoke sharply, though tiredly. She hadn't slept in over 24 hours. "An anniversary is supposed to be something you're happy to celebrate" she added.

Jenna nodded. "You're right" Jenna agreed. "But I'm still sorry I didn't check in to see if you wanted to be home" she added.

Elena scoffed. "You don't want me here anyways" Elena said coldly. "You wouldn't have let me come home even if I had asked."

Jenna closed her eyes, not wanting to argue with her. "Maybe not" she agreed. "I guess I have Stefan to thank for being the one to listen to you" she said. Elena's stomach felt sick just at the mention of his name. He was a liar. He had tried to stop her from coming home.

He had cared enough to give her what she needed, while protecting her at the same time. Fuck. She was so confused. "I made him take me to the airport" Elena said, trying to protect that rough exterior she had created for herself. Truth be told, she had begged Stefan in a moment of pure vulnerability, and luckily, he had been amazing enough to trust in what she asked from him.

"I talked to him today" Jenna mentioned. It was surprising news to Elena. "He wants you to know that he's thinking about you" she added gently.

"He can go to Hell" Elena blurted out quickly. Despite everything he had done for her, he had still hurt her. He had lied to her, and she didn't like liars.

Jenna sighed again. Clearly, she wasn't going to get Elena to agree that Stefan was a nice guy. "If you want to stay here, Elena, I won't make you go back to Wyoming" she said. It was probably the worst idea to let Elena stay home and start getting into trouble again, but if Elena was really that miserable in Wyoming, it wasn't fair to make her go back.

"I do want to stay here" Elena told her. More than anything, she wanted to stay in Virginia.

Jenna nodded. "Okay. I'll call Ric and let him know" Jenna said, standing. She got about ten feet away before she heard Elena speak again.

"I hate Wyoming" she said, knowing she only half meant that. "But maybe it's best if I go back for the summer. So I can clear my head and have some space" she added.

Jenna remained quiet for a moment before nodding. "Okay" Jenna said. "For the summer" she repeated. Then she walked away, leaving Elena alone once again.

Elena knew it would be getting dark soon, but she didn't want to leave. She hadn't spoken to her parents yet, finding it strange, yet terrifying, to talk to people who were buried in the ground. She closed her eyes and willed her fresh batch of tears to go away. "You'd be so disappointed in me if you were here" she cried softly.

She continued to cry softly, alone in the cemetery. But she didn't say anymore. Even though she wanted to.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The week had been rough on Stefan, mainly because Ric was giving him the cold shoulder. Even though Jenna had talked with Ric, he was still disappointed in Stefan. Because Stefan was such a sensitive guy, he felt pretty damn guilty too.

So Stefan was surprised when on Friday afternoon, Ric met him out in the barn and was willingly going to talk to him. "In about an hour, you need to go to the airport" he informed him.

"Why?" Stefan asked. He didn't want to get his hopes up, because sometimes Ric sent him to the airport to pick up potential clients interested in doing business.

"Elena" he said. And that was all he said as he walked out of the barn.

The excitement that rushed through Stefan's heart was almost counteracted by the nervousness. This was the first he had heard that Elena was even coming back.

An hour later, Stefan was washed up and dressed in one of his better pairs of jeans with a nice button down shirt. He didn't know why he felt the need to get dressed up to get her from the airport. He blamed it on nerves.

He had a good drive to think about what he was going to say to her when he saw her. She was probably going to be upset with him still, and she probably didn't even want to see him. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to turn around and tell Ric to go and get her.

The wait in the airport wasn't any better. His palms felt sweaty and his heart was beating fast. He felt like an idiot, but he realized that what Elena thought about him was important.

At exactly 7 PM, the doors opened and a long line of people filtered out, tired from a long flight. He stood, anticipating her arrival.

She looked sleepy in her yoga pants and her hair in a loose braid. She stopped abruptly when she saw Stefan waiting there. Somehow, she had been expecting Ric. And although Ric probably would have yelled, it would have been better than dealing with all of the hurt feelings between her and Stefan.

He was staring at her, waiting for everyone around them to clear out. He had so much to say to her, yet he was having difficulty mustering up the courage to say it. He finally had to take a deep breath. "I'm sorry that I lied to you" he said, and she could see how badly he felt about it. "I didn't want to upset you, and now I see that I ended up upsetting you anyway" he admitted.

Relief seemed to spread across her face and slowly, she walked towards him. Elena let go of her bag and slowly, she wrapped her arms around him. The past week had drained her emotionally, and the one thing she remembered was how nice if felt to be in Stefan's arms. She had missed him, even if she was hurting. "I'm sorry too" she told him. Sorry for a lot of things. And there wasn't enough time to tell him in the airport.

Stefan wrapped his arms around her, realizing right then how much he had missed her too. "I'm so sorry for the way I treated you that night" he added quickly, tightening his arms around her. "I was just so scared. So many scary things can happen 'round here, and …" he said, struggling to continue. He didn't want to think about the what-ifs.

"I'm sorry I did what I did" she told him, wondering if people were staring at them. She didn't care though. "I wasn't thinking" she said.

He sighed, feeling relieved to hear her say that. "I meant it Elena" he told her. "If you ever need anything, please come to me first" he said, almost begging her. She nodded against him. "Come on. We should head back" he said quietly, though reluctantly. Everything was okay, standing there holding her in the airport. Back at the ranch though, things were bound to not be pleasant.

Stefan let her go and grabbed her bag for her. Elena walked beside him, taking comfort in their silence. She didn't know what to expect when she got back to the ranch.

And that worried her.

**A/N: So much turmoil! **


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Well, Stefan is quite possibly more perfect than before and I want to hug Elena. The poor girl is hurting so much.**

**Tell me what you think!**

"Red will be happy to see you" Stefan said, not being able to take the silence in the truck any longer. She didn't say anything though, but he hoped that she was listening. She just kept looking out the window. "And Rebekah's horse is lame, so he probably has to do physical therapy and rest for a while" he added. "So she's gonna help me out with some of the youngsters and ride one to compete" he said, feeling the need to warn Elena that Rebekah would be around a lot more. "I'll still need your help though" he said, quick to make sure she didn't feel left out. "Rebekah can ride the young ones that sometimes get a little wild. Hell, I'd rather she ride them than me" he said, laughing nervously.

"I didn't know horses went to physical therapy" Elena said quietly.

Stefan felt relieved that she was engaging in conversation. "Yep. They can even see a chiropractor too" he added.

"Did you sleep with Katherine?" Elena asked suddenly. It sounded more desperate than she had meant for it, but she couldn't take it back now.

Stefan came rolling to a stop at the intersection. There was no one around, so Stefan sat there for a moment, letting his truck idle. He wasn't sure how honest to be with her. But he figured if she had come back, she might have been able to handle whatever he had to say. "Katherine kissed me" he said, unable to look at Elena as he said it. "And I told her I didn't have those kind of feelings for her" he explained.

"And how'd she take it?" Elena asked. She knew she was right when she said Katherine had feelings for Stefan.

Stefan hung his head low. "She was upset" he admitted. "She's not talking to me."

Elena wasn't going to tell him that she was sorry to hear that, because she wasn't. It was actually a relief for her, knowing that Katherine wouldn't be hanging around with Stefan any time soon. "She'll get over it" she said instead.

"Maybe" Stefan replied. He was quiet for a moment as he looked out of his window. "Are you and I, okay?" he asked her. He wasn't so sure that hugging and saying sorry at the airport was enough. "I knew how upset you'd be, Elena. And I honestly went camping with Katherine as a friend. When she turned it into more, I stopped her."

"I wouldn't have been upset" she said stubbornly. Yes, she would have been upset had Stefan been honest. And she knew it. She crossed her arms and looked out the window. "I don't want to talk about this anymore" she decided.

"Okay. What do you want to talk about?" he asked, pressing the gas and moving forward. He didn't really want to discuss it anymore either. And he still didn't get his answer about whether or not he and Elena were on okay terms.

She wanted to tell him to just leave her alone. She was tired of talking. That's all Jenna had wanted to do. But she would appease him and his wish to talk. "My barrel racing lessons" she stated.

Stefan couldn't help but smile. Even if she was blowing off an important conversation about feelings, he would allow her to. The last thing he wanted to do was push her away again. "We'll have to discuss that" he told her.

"What's there to discuss?" she asked defiantly. "I'm ready" she informed him. She had really wanted to tell Jenna about her riding while she was home, but she didn't. She was too stubborn to let Jenna in.

"Okay" he said, giving in. "Tomorrow. I'll start you around the barrels."

"Fine" she said, crossing her arms again. Five minutes or so passed before she spoke again. "So how much trouble are we in?" Elena asked finally. The ranch was coming into view and she was getting anxious.

"A lot" Stefan told her, taking the drive up the driveway extra slow. "Ric means well. But sometimes he can go a little hard on the discipline" he added.

"What do you think my punishment will be?" Elena asked. She had been thinking of different ways she could be punished on the flight home with the hope of negotiating with Ric.

"I'm not sure" Stefan replied. "He's never raised a girl before. Quite frankly, I think you scare the livin' Hell oughta him 'cause he has no idea what to do with you" he said honestly.

"Great" Elena muttered as the truck came to a stop. The lights were on in the house and Elena was pretty sure Ric was waiting for them. "I don't want to talk to him tonight" Elena said, sitting in the truck with Stefan. "I'm tired and the last thing I need is to get lectured."

Stefan nodded. "I get it" he said. He really did. He jumped out of the truck and opened her door for her. She climbed out and Stefan grabbed her bag, following her in.

As soon as they set foot inside, Ric stood from the table and was walking towards them. "Elena, I need to talk with you" he said sternly. Elena kept walking though, towards the stairs. "Elena!" Ric said, prepared to follow her. Stefan stepped in front of him though, blocking his path. Ric stopped abruptly, eying Stefan. "Boy, you'd best move out of my way" he warned.

Stefan didn't know where this sudden burst of braveness was coming from, but he was going with it. "She's tired and she's been through a rough week. She'll talk to you tomorrow" Stefan informed him. He could tell Ric was holding his temper in.

"Tomorrow then" Ric said, glaring at Stefan as he went back to his table and sat down. He busied himself with his newspaper, clearly still fuming on the inside.

Stefan turned around slowly and went upstairs. He took her bag to his room and sat down on his bed. He could hear Elena moving around in her room and he figured he could at least tell her goodnight. She was probably off to bed while he had a few chores to get done. Slowly, he got up again, carrying her bag. He went into the bathroom and tapped on her side of the door. "Elena? It's me" he said quietly. It took a few moments, but Elena opened the door for him. "I just wanted to tell you goodnight" he said. She had washed her makeup off and had dressed in her pajamas. Yet he thought she looked better like this than when she was all done up. "Ric, he'll leave you alone for tonight. But he'll wanna talk tomorrow" Stefan informed her.

"I know" Elena nodded. "Thank you. For what you did down there." Standing up to Ric couldn't have been easy for him.

Stefan nodded too. "Like I said. Ric, he means well. He's just used to dealin' with us boys is all" he told her. Elena looked into his eyes for a moment and he had to look away, because there was just too much pain there for him. And all he wanted to do was hold her tight. "Here's your bag" he said.

"Thanks" she said, taking it from him. She reached over and grabbed something off of her desk, handing it to him. An envelope. "I know you said not to worry about it, but my aunt wanted to pay you back for my ticket" she said. She started to see Stefan reject the check. "Use it to help Rebekah's horse" she said, showing some empathy towards Stefan's friend, but not a whole lot. She couldn't have Stefan walking around thinking she cared.

Stefan looked at the check inside and sighed. "She'll appreciate this" he told her, smiling some.

"I'll see you in the morning" Elena told him, shutting her door slowly. Stefan took one last look at the check before turning around going back to his room. He deposited the check on his dresser before leaving his room again to go and see his horses.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan decided not to go up to bed after he finished his chores. It was a beautiful night and he was caught up in looking at the stars and taking in the calm air. He probably could have sat on the fence all night had he not heard a noise coming from near the house. Curious, he got down and walked towards the house to investigate.

Elena was crawling out of her window, hanging, then dropping to the ground. When she turned around, she saw Stefan standing there looking at her. "I'm not running away" she said defensively. "I just …" she said, trying to think how best to explain what she was doing.

"Need to get out for a little while" Stefan finished for her. He could understand that. "Come on" he said, nodding for her to follow.

Elena caught up with him as he led them towards an open gate. It was one they had gone through many times to go trail riding, yet they were heading off in another direction. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"The back end of our property" he answered. Stefan picked a piece of tall grass and was fiddling with it as they walked. "So how was it, being back home?" he asked. He was genuinely curious.

Elena looked up at him as they walked. "Fine" she answered, lying and giving him absolutely no details. Stefan didn't bother to push her for details. She'd talk when she was ready.

They walked for what seemed like forever before Stefan sat down in the grass in front of a pond. "You ever been frog huntin' before?" he asked her, making small talk.

Elena sat down next to him and picked a piece of grass for herself to fiddle with. "No" she said. She could hear the frogs in the pond though. "Do you miss them? Your parents?" Elena asked quietly. She probably shouldn't have been asking him that seeing as how she wasn't talking much about her own life, but she wanted to know.

Stefan looked over at her, calm and collected like she had seen him most often. "I think I miss the idea of them. They left when I was pretty young, so I don't really remember what it's like to have parents" he answered.

"They don't call you or come see you ever?" Elena asked, finding it easier to talk about his parents than her own.

"Nope" he answered. He still sounded so calm about the whole thing and that bothered her.

"Aren't you angry?" she asked. She would have been.

Stefan shrugged. "At some point, you've gotta move on. Focus on all the good things in your life and keep goin' I suppose" he answered. "I can't make them love me, so I remind myself that I still have my own life to live" he added. Elena could detect a little bit of sadness when he said he couldn't make his parents love him, but he quickly recovered. "Damon, he's angry 'bout it. He'll rant to ya all day about our parents in you let him" Stefan told her.

Elena let his words sink in for a moment. She hadn't ever really thought about moving on. She just sort of stayed stuck where she was. Every day had been the same for her the past year. Cry over her loss, drink and be reckless. It had worked for her, but now she wondered if there wasn't something else in store for her. "I'm angry" she said, deciding that she didn't need to hide how she felt about her parent's death. "It wasn't fair, that they had to die." She threw her piece of grass, slightly agitated.

"I don't judge you for bein' angry. If I was in your situation, I'd probably be angry too" he said, normalizing her feelings for her. "Life can be one big bitch, can't it?" he asked her. She looked up at him, shocked that he would say that. "Parents abandon their kids, good people are taken from us far too soon. Sometimes life just sucks."

"Yet you seem pretty happy" Elena pointed out. She envied that.

"I choose to be happy" he informed her, picking at another piece of grass.

She didn't say anything for a long time, but Stefan let her sit in silence. He wasn't one to rush things. "I was in the car when it crashed" she said quietly, her voice cracking some as she said it. "I blacked out, and when I woke up in the hospital, they were getting ready to take me into surgery" she said, taking a deep breath before continuing. She was well aware that Stefan was giving her his undivided attention. "Jenna was holding my hand, and I asked her how my parents were. She told me they were safe. And that they wanted me to stay strong" she said, failing to stop the few tears that had escaped her eyes.

"When I got out of surgery and woke up, Jenna told me my parents had died while I was in surgery. I didn't find out until a week later that they had died on impact at the crash site" she said, letting out a shaky breath. "I had to find out by reading an article in the local paper." Elena looked down at her hands, willing her tears to stop. She hated crying in front of people.

"She lied to you" Stefan said. It dawned on him then what a horrible mistake he had made, lying to her. A lie once before had hurt her.

"Yeah" Elena said, wiping at her tears. "She told me she had wanted me to remain strong through surgery. But I think I deserved to know" she told him. "I can't stand lying, and that's all I've done the past year."

If Stefan could have thoroughly punched himself, he would have. "And that's what I did to you last week" he said, hanging his head low. "God Elena, if I had known …" he said, stopping himself. "I hate that I did that. I won't do it again" he said, looking over at her. "I don't want you to think I'm a liar" he told her.

"It shouldn't matter what I think of you" she told him, starting to put her wall back up.

"It does" he said, catching her off guard. "I told you that I turned Katherine down because I don't have feelings for her" he said, taking a slow breath in. He was about to do something bold. "I have feelings for you" he said, taking a huge leap and knowing he was probably going to get shut down.

She was quiet for a moment before she looked at him again. "You have feelings for me?" Elena asked.

He looked nervous as hell. Hell, he felt nervous as hell. "I like you" he confirmed. "And I don't like Katherine like that. I never have" he explained. There was just something about Elena that intrigued him. He was even willing to put his heart on the line, knowing she would probably break it.

Elena should have felt excited that someone like Stefan had taken an interest in her. But she was anything but. "You don't want to like someone like me" she told him, looking back out the window.

"Someone who has suffered a great loss, and who needs time to heal?" he asked, turning towards her. He saw her tear-filled eyes avoiding him, so he reached out and wiped some of her tears away.

She shook her head, pulling away from him. "All I do is hurt people" she told him.

He shook his head though. "Your aunt, she e-mailed me two videos of you" he said, hoping Elena wouldn't get mad and walk away. She did look shocked though. "One was of you outside, and people, your mom, was congratulating you on making the team" he said, seeing her eyes showing signs of recognition. She knew that video. Hell, she knew that memory. "And the other was of you cheering at a game" he added. "And you looked so damn happy Elena" he said, reaching out again and brushing away another tear. When she didn't pull away, he placed his other hand on the side of her face and leaned in closer. "I just want to see you that happy again" he whispered.

"Why?" she asked him. Why was he so concerned with her happiness?

He smiled. "Because I don't like to see people suffer. Especially people I care about."

Elena sighed. There he went bringing up the topic of having feelings for her again. "I don't have feelings for you" she told him, point blank. She was hoping he'd be hurt and he'd leave. Because that's what people did when she pushed them away.

Instead though, he just nodded his head. "That's okay" he said softly. "I'd be honored to be your friend if nothin' else" he smiled.

Elena looked at him curiously. "You'd settle for being my friend?" she asked.

Stefan smiled again, still holding her face in his hands. "I'd love to be your friend" he told her. Sure, he'd love it if eventually, Elena developed feelings for him. But until then, he was perfectly content being her friend. "Are you hungry?" he asked, giving them a break from such serious talk and letting go of her slowly. "Because if we walk two more miles that way, we'll run into a 24 hour diner that has the best apple pie you will ever eat" he smiled.

"You want to walk there?" Elena asked, watching him stand up.

Stefan shrugged, looking down at her. "I'm in no hurry to get to bed" he said, extending his hand to help her up.

Elena grabbed his hand and stood up. She supposed she wasn't in any hurry to get to bed either. "Okay" she said. He held onto her hand, beginning to walk with her. He did most of the talking, telling her about the property and the diner they were going to.

She only half paid attention to him. She couldn't help thinking about how she quite possibly might have a new friend. She hadn't had a friend, a decent one, since the accident. Since she pushed them all away.

She had let him in though, and there was no reversing that. The only problem was, friends didn't kiss each other, did they?

Because she would miss kissing him.

**A/N: Well, these two tend to take one step forward and two steps back, don't they?**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hope you like it! Let me know.**

When they got back to the ranch, Elena stopped outside the house before they were about to head in. "Thank you, for tonight" she said, looking past him. "For listening and for the pie" she added.

Stefan was surprised to hear her talk to him like that. There was no defensiveness to her tone or her words. She sounded sincere. "You're welcome" he said.

"I don't usually tell people …" she said, choosing her words carefully. The fact of the matter was though, she didn't talk about her own personal Hell with anyone.

"I know" he told her. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. He didn't expect her to return the hug, but was mildly surprised when she did. "You should get some sleep" he said, knowing she had to be exhausted from her week and all of her traveling.

Elena grinned. "Yes Sir" she said, letting her smartass ways return.

He didn't mind though. "See you in the mornin' Elena" he said, letting her go. Reluctantly, she let go too.

"You're not coming in yet?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I'm goin' to check in on the horses one last time" he replied. "I'll be in in a minute" he assured her.

"Okay" Elena nodded. "Goodnight" she said, taking the steps quietly so Ric wouldn't hear her. Stefan watched her until she was inside before turning around and walking back across the yard towards the barn. It was going to be a busy day when he woke up.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena smiled as she watched Stefan carry bags of grain over his shoulder before dumping them into separate bins. He was fun to watch, and she was anticipating the rest of her morning with him. Even at 6 AM, she could tell it was going to be a good day. Well, after she got done talking to Ric. She figured she had to face him sooner or later.

"I'll be back out here later" Elena told Stefan.

He knew where she was off to. "Good luck" he smiled, knowing she was going to need it. She tossed her gloves at him as she exited the barn.

Ric was a ways down the driveway, fixing a fence from what Elena could tell. She took her time walking down there. When she got close enough to see his face, she could tell that she was really in for it. The guy looked ticked off. Maybe she should have brought Stefan along as a buffer. No. She needed to woman up and deal with this on her own.

The only problem was, she never dealt with anything. She always ran the other way. "Ric" Elena said, stopping a few feet from him.

"Hand me that hammer" Ric said, pointing behind him. Elena looked at him for a moment before doing as she was told. "You come to talk to me 'bout what happened last week?" he asked.

"Yes" she answered. "I came to apologize for running off and to tell you that it won't happen again" she added.

"You're damn straight it ain't gonna happen again" he told her. She was a little taken aback by his abruptness, but she figured that was just the way he was. "Another thing you ain't gonna do, is get Stefan caught up in your bad choices" he added. Elena opened her mouth to argue, but figured she had no argument. "He's a good kid. I won't have you changin' that" he said sternly, putting a new nail into the fence. "I'd sooner see you gone than watch you drag Stefan down with you."

Ouch. "I take all the blame for what happened" Elena told him, even though him accusing her of getting Stefan into trouble in the future kind of hurt her feelings. "Please don't be upset with him" Elena added. She had seen the way Ric had been acting towards Stefan since she got back.

"Stefan screwed up and he knows it" Ric replied. "I appreciate you taking ownership of your mistakes Elena." He moved a few feet away and started to repair another section of fence.

"Is that it?" Elena asked. No punishment?

Ric laughed. "You can start by unloading the hay truck when it comes in this morning" he told her. That would take her at least a few painful hours. "And you're not to leave the property unless one of us is with you" he added.

"You want me to unload the truck all by myself?" Elena asked in disbelief. She'd seen Stefan do it and even he broke a sweat.

Ric turned to look at her. "That's what I said didn't I?" he asked. "You get all your chores done?" he asked.

"Yes" Elena grumbled.

"Good. You can weed the garden until the hay gets here" he told her. Then, he moved down the fence some more, leaving Elena crossing her arms and glaring at him.

Eventually, she turned around and sulked back to the yard. She gathered the weeding tools and huffed as she went to work on the garden.

Rebekah's truck pulled up not long after. Stefan met her at her truck and they seemed to be deep in conversation before laughing. Then they walked together to the barn. A few minutes later, Rebekah came walking out with a horse, saddled and bridled. The horse was prancing alongside of her, clearly excited to be out of her stall. Elena slowly stopped weeding, focusing on them as they entered the outdoor arena.

Elena couldn't take her eyes off of Rebekah who rode the young horse around the arena with such grace. Slowly, Elena got up and walked towards the arena. Ric was out of sight by that point, so she wasn't worried about him seeing her slacking off. Elena climbed up on the fence and sat down to watch.

Rebekah was well aware that Elena was watching her, but it didn't bother her. She was used to it. "She's good, huh?" Stefan asked, startling Elena. She looked back to see Stefan standing behind her. "Hey Bekah!" Stefan called out. "Why don't you show us that that little horse can do!" he yelled. He climbed up on the fence next to Elena and they both watched as Rebekah ran around the barrels effortlessly. Elena looked over at Stefan and saw him smiling.

Rebekah was smiling as she rode the horse up to the fence. She took her watch off of her wrist and tossed it to Elena who nearly dropped it. "Time me" she told Elena. "As soon as we cross through that gate" she clarified.

Elena nodded. "Okay" she said, watching as Rebekah left the arena. As soon as she entered again, Elena watched the clock while sneaking glances at Rebekah running the horse in the clover pattern. "19 seconds" Elena told Stefan as soon as Rebekah finished.

Stefan nodded. "Not bad" he said, giving Rebekah a thumbs up. "You took too many steps on that second barrel!" he called out, grinning like he loved pointing out her mistakes to give her a hard time.

"Screw you!" Rebekah yelled back as she trotted over to them. "I'll have this little filly winnin' in no time" she told him. Then she looked at Elena and smiled. "He's full of himself, you know" she told Elena, smiling. She was trying so hard to be friendly with Elena. And Elena could see that.

"You're really good" Elena told her, deciding to give her a compliment. She handed her the watch back.

Rebekah looked surprised, but she kept smiling. "Thanks. Stefan tells me he's giving you your first barrel racing lesson tonight" she said.

Elena nodded. "Got any tips for me?" she asked.

"Yeah" Rebekah said. "If you want to learn how to barrel race, Stefan's your guy" she told her. "But if you want to win, you give me a call and I'll show you how it's done" she added with a grin. Elena smiled while Stefan laughed. "I'm kiddin'. Stefan's awesome" Rebekah added. "Just listen to what he says. He knows what he's sayin' when it comes to horses and riding."

"Then I guess I have something to look forward to" Elena said.

Stefan mouthed a thank you to Rebekah who just smiled at them both. She couldn't believe she was having a civil conversation with Elena. "Do you want to walk her around and cool her down?" Rebekah asked Elena. Stefan looked ready to shoot down the idea, because the horse was still young, but he did trust Rebekah's judgment.

Walking around with a horse sounded like a lot more fun than unloading hay, but she could see the truck coming up the driveway and knew she should get to work on it. Besides, Ric was walking their way. "Elena" Ric said.

"What?" she asked, already knowing what he was going to remind her of. The guy was such a buzz kill.

"The hay is here" he said.

Elena sighed. "I'm on it" she said, climbing down off of the fence. Another truck had followed to take the truck driver back. They both waved at Elena who just glared at them.

"Hey Rebekah" Ric said. "You two looked great out there. Maybe one of these days, I'll actually make it to a rodeo" he added with a smile.

Rebekah smiled too. "You're all work and no play" she told him. "You should come out in two weeks. I'll probably be runnin' this little girl. Stefan's done some nice work with her."

Ric nodded. "I'll do my best" he said. "Stefan, I'm heading out for a few hours. Keep an eye on her" he said, turning to look at Elena.

"Will do" Stefan assured him.

When Ric left, Stefan hopped down off of the fence. "I'm going to take a break with the horses and help Elena. You keep working with this one. When you're done, I've got two others in the barn that I'd like you to take for a spin" he said.

"Oh, you want to spend a little time alone with Elena" she said, teasing him. "Show her how strong you are" she grinned.

Stefan tried not to smile, though it wasn't easy. "Ric's being too hard on her is all" he said, looking over at Elena who was struggling to carry a hay bale into the barn.

"You tell her how you feel yet?" she asked, knowing that Stefan was looking at Elena like he had to take care of her.

Stefan nodded. "I did" he said, looking back at Rebekah. "She doesn't feel the same way" he added. It was sort of like what happened with Katherine. One-sided.

"She's scared" Rebakah said, looking over at Elena. "If you really want to be with her" Rebekah said, sighing. She didn't think it was the best idea in the world. "Just be patient. She'll admit how she really feels when she's ready" she assured him.

Stefan smiled. "I hope so" he said. He turned around and started walking to where Elena was.

Elena watched him walk up and grab a hay bale off of the truck, carrying if effortlessly to the barn. She also watched him walk back, ready to grab another bale. But she stopped him, grabbing his arm. "Ric said I needed to do this by myself" she told him.

Stefan smiled. "I bet he did" Stefan said, moving around her and grabbing another bale off of the truck. "Ric ain't here, so what he don't know won't hurt him" he said with a grin. Elena didn't smile though. A guilty feeling hit her when she remembered her conversation with Ric. About how Elena was a bad influence for Stefan. "Hey" he said, dropping the hay bale and placing his hands on her shoulders. "Ric's treatin' you like one of us boys. And that ain't right" he told her. "So let me help you."

"You don't think I can do this?" she asked defensively, crossing her arms. Because she knew she could. It might take her all day, but she'd get it done.

Stefan smiled. "Of course you can, Elena. But I'd rather you let me help you" he told her. He should have told her that real men didn't let pretty girls like her do that kind of work all by themselves. But he didn't. "You've got a barrel racing lesson later. I'd hate for you to be too tired" he smiled, letting go of her shoulders. "You toss 'em down and I'll carry and stack" he told her, picking her up suddenly under her back and legs and setting her up on the trailer bed of the truck like she was just another one of those hay bales he carried around all day.

Elena stood up there and looked down at him. Those muscles on his arms showing from that t-shirt he was wearing was enough to keep her staring. "Was that necessary?" she asked him finally. She could have climbed up there on her own.

Stefan smiled at her, picking up the hay bale again. "Yes" he said, smiling even more under that cowboy hat of his. She squinted from the sun and he dropped the bale again, hopping up on the truck with her. "Here" he said, taking his hat off and setting it on her head. "It'll keep the sun oughta your eyes" he told her.

Elena tilted her head back some to see under his hat that was too big for her. "Thanks" she said. Then she grinned. "You let all the girls wear your hat?" she asked. Or was she one of the lucky ones?

"No one wears my hat but me" he told her. Then he smiled. "Now get on up there and toss them bales down to me" he ordered playfully.

He jumped down off of the truck again and went to work carrying the bales of hay into the barn.

He was ten times faster than she was, and within an hour, they had the entire truck unloaded. "Damn it's hot out here" he said, peeling his sweaty t-shirt off. He walked over to the hose and let the cold water poor over him. He looked over at Elena and saw that she couldn't take her eyes off of him.

It was true. All Elena wanted to do was push his half naked body up against the barn and kiss him until she couldn't breathe. "Must be nice, being able to take your shirt off like that when you're hot" she told him, still unable to look away. She was pretty sweaty herself.

Stefan laughed. "Ain't nobody 'round gonna tell you you can't either" he said.

She rolled her eyes. "So what do we do with this truck?" she asked.

"The same guys who dropped it off will pick it up later" he told her. He held his hand up, taking hers and helping her jump down from the truck. "I'm going to go and help Rebekah some more" he said. "You can hang out or go inside and cool off" he told her.

"I think I'll go inside" she told him. He nodded, not blaming her one bit. It was getting incredibly hot outside. They stood their awkwardly for a moment. "I'll see you later" she finally said, turning and leaving.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was nearly three in the afternoon when Stefan came back inside. Ric still hadn't returned and Damon hadn't been home either. Elena had enjoyed the quiet of the house. Stefan had his t-shirt slung over his bare shoulder as he came into the kitchen. "I made sandwiches" Elena said, sliding a plate full of turkey sandwiches his way. She had fruit on the table as well, cut up and separated on a plate. There was a pitcher of what he assumed was ice tea in the middle of the table too. Elena had half of a sandwich in her hand and a book in the other.

Stefan looked at her for a moment before remembering his manners. "Thanks, Elena" he said. "I'm just going to shower real fast and then I'll be right down" he said, turning and leaving the room.

Elena remained where she was, reading her book until he came back. She heard his footsteps before she saw him. "How'd the rest of the training go?" Elena asked, making small talk as Stefan sat down.

Stefan smiled as he reached for half of a sandwich. He had skipped lunch and was starving. "Good" he answered. "It really helps having Rebekah doing the riding" he said. "What are you reading?" he asked her.

Elena shrugged. "Some book my aunt bought me about the life of a journalist" she answered, picking up an apple slice. She had been killing time until Stefan was done and could give her her lesson.

"Do you want to be a journalist?" Stefan asked out of curiosity. Elena shrugged. "Do you like to write?" he asked. Again, she shrugged. "What do you write?" he asked.

"Fuck Stefan, what is this, 20 questions?" she asked. She didn't understand why he was being so nosey. But when she saw a hurt look on his face, she felt bad. He was turning her into someone who cared about things again, and that was difficult. It was much easier to not care than to care. "I'm sorry" she said, surprising them both with an apology. She sighed and set the book down. "I used to write a lot. I don't anymore" she said, playing with the apple slice nervously. "Journaling mostly. But I thought about writing a novel once."

"You should" he said. "Write a novel, I mean" he added. Elena shrugged.

She probably never would. She hadn't written anything since her parents died. "Anything's possible I guess" she told him. Then she stood. "I'm going to go and brush Red. Get him ready" she announced.

Stefan nodded, taking a hint. She was done divulging personal information for the time being. "I'll be out soon" he said. He was dead tired and would have loved nothing more than to feed the horses early and go to bed.

But he had promised Elena he would give her a lesson and he wasn't one to go back on his promises. Stefan watched Elena put her dish in the sink and then disappear out the front door.

When he did see Elena again, she was walking Red out of the barn. She stopped when she saw Stefan approaching. "I have the pattern memorized" she told him as he approached.

Stefan walked around his horse, checking the saddle to make sure it was going to stay put. "Then this should be a piece of cake" he smiled. "Get on" he told her, walking ahead of her to open the gate to the arena. "I want you to walk the pattern first" he instructed.

Elena groaned. "I think I know how to do that" she reminded him. "Let me trot them at least" she negotiated.

Stefan turned to look at her. "Remember what I said 'bout arguin' with me?" he asked her pointedly.

"I'm not arguing" she replied. "I'm just telling you that a baby could walk around the barrels" she said, crossing her arms. "I want a challenge."

Stefan laughed. "Alright then" he told her. "Warm him up around the arena. Then you can trot the pattern." Elena smiled triumphantly as she gave a few clicking sounds and got Red to start trotting. Stefan stood in the middle of the arena and watched her. "Heels down" he said, calling out to her. She really did have great form for being a beginner. "That's it Elena. Keep your eyes on where you want to go" he coached, following her with his eyes.

"I know, I know" she told him, giving the horse a kissy sound and preparing herself to go faster. It was liberating, being able to go that fast with the wind blowing through her hair. She couldn't wait until Stefan let her run full speed through one of the fields, like she had seen in the movies.

"Alright, bring him in" Stefan said after a while. She came trotting up to him, smiling. "Now remember. Trot around the pattern. No running it yet" he told her. She wasn't ready for that. "He'll do all the work. Just remember to lean in with him on the turns and be prepared that both of your weights are going to shift" he explained.

"Got it" Elena said, walking Red to the gate. She wanted to start where Rebekah had started.

"Remember, nice and easy Elena" he said gently, moving out of her way. "You can stop him at any time if you need to." Elena squeezed her legs and Red moved into a slow trot towards the barrels. She came up to the first one and just like Stefan said, Red did all the work and turned around it effortlessly. They were off to the next one and they cleared that one too. When she got around the last barrel, she trotted her way back to the gate.

She turned around and smiled at Stefan. "I did it" she said proudly. And it was easier than she thought it would be.

Stefan clapped. "That was awesome Elena. Why don't you try it a few more times, just trotting."

So Elena did just that, and every time, she cleared all the barrels. "This is so easy Stefan" she told him.

"You'll get to go fast eventually" he promised her, patting Red. "Trot the pattern one more time and then cool him down" he told her. "Then you can help me feed."

Elena turned Red back towards the gate. She sat there staring at the barrels, thinking to hell with it. She started Red off in a trot, then kicked him to go faster. Stefan's smile slowly faded as he saw what she was doing. "Elena, slow down!" Stefan called out. She was going too fast.

She didn't though. She went around the first barrel and lost her stirrup. Red kept running though for the second barrel as she held on. She couldn't pull back on the reins because she was so focused on not falling off. She could hear Stefan yelling for her to stop.

When they started to go around the second barrel, Red went one way and Elena went the other, losing her balance and falling off. She hit the ground with a thud, clutching her wrist when she felt a sharp pain shoot through it. She stared up at the sky as she lay there on her back, taking a moment to process what had just happened.

"Elena!" Stefan yelled, running towards her. He knelt down beside her, grabbing her face and looking into her eyes. "Hey? What hurts?" he asked, examining the wrist she was holding.

Elena blinked twice before she tried to sit up. She winced, feeling the effects of having fallen off of a horse. "I'm fine" she said, trying to shrug off his hands as she finally did sit up.

"Are you sure?" he asked, searching her eyes to see if they were dilated. "Did you hit your head at all?" he asked frantically. He was looking for signs of a concussion, fearing for the worst. He should have made her wear a helmet.

"No. I told you I'm fine" she said, hating that he was fussing over her.

He took her wrist in his hands and watched her wince. "I should take you to the doctor" he told her. It could have been broken.

Elena shook her head no. "Stop Stefan. Seriously, I'm okay" she said, trying to ignore how much her wrist hurt.

"What were you thinkin' Elena?" he asked her frantically. She knew he was just worried though.

"That I could do it" she told him. "I would have had it had I not lost my stirrup" she informed.

"Jesus Elena" he said, scooping her up in his arms. He walked quickly with her to the house. Once inside, he set her on the couch and rushed into the kitchen to grab ice. Ric was going to kill him for letting Elena get hurt. "Here, put this on your wrist" he told her, placing an ice pack gently against her.

She winced, but allowed him to hold the ice pack to her wrist. He was almost shaking he was so worked up over her fall. "Stefan, are you okay?" Elena asked.

His eyes shot up and met hers. "I'm fine" he told her. "You just scared the hell oughta me is all" he added. "You can get yourself real hurt fallin' off a horse."

Elena laughed. "You've never fallen off of a horse before?" she asked.

Stefan pulled a chair over to sit down by her. "Of course I have" he told her. "I just ain't ever had someone I was givin' a lesson to fall off" he said, still feeling guilty about it.

She set her ice down and gave him a reassuring smile. "Stefan?" she said, grabbing his face with her hands. "I read in a book once that you're not a real cowboy or cowgirl until you've fallen off at least a dozen or more times" she said. He started to smile, because that was true. "So I have 11 more falls before I'm good to go" she winked. Yes, she fucking winked.

That got him to laugh. "I'm not so sure I can let that happen" he said. "I think we should hold off on the barrels for a while."

Elena's eyes showed her disappointment. "No way in hell" she told him. "Don't baby me Stefan. If anyone else would have fallen off, you would have told them to get back on and try again, am I right?" she asked.

Yes. "You're not just anyone else" he told her, standing. Elena's eyes held his until he looked away. "I'm gonna go and get Red. Get everyone fed and put away for the night. Another thunderstorm is supposed to roll through" he told her.

Elena watched him leave, thinking about what he had said. God, he was so sweet and honest and she hated that. Because she couldn't let herself get hurt anymore.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

At around seven, the skies had turned dark and the rain had set in. Ric had called, letting Elena know he was going to wait out the storm and that he'd be home late.

Stefan was still outside in the barn, getting it locked down she assumed. Elena's wrist felt much better, but it still hurt some. She put on a sweatshirt, pulling the hood over her head and slipped outside.

The rain was coming down hard as she ran across the yard for the barn in just her boots, shorts and sweatshirt. The rain was cool, but the air was still warm. When she did make it to the barn, she pried the door open just enough to slip inside. She could hear the faint stringing of a guitar and before long, she peered around the corner and could see Stefan sitting on a hay bale, playing.

Stefan looked up and saw her. Instead of running this time, she came out from behind the corner and walked towards him. He smiled at her, and she sat down in front of him. "Can you play something for me?" she asked.

He looked at her for a moment before he moved his fingers around on the guitar strings. Then he started playing something, what, she didn't know just yet. But as soon as he started singing, she knew. "Girl, you make my speakers go boom boom. Dancin' on the tailgate in a full moon. That kinda thing makes a man go mmm hmmm" he sang softly, smiling when he saw her smiling. It was the song that she had told him she really liked at the dance. He'd spent quite a bit of time learning how to play it for her.

He strummed a few more chords before continuing. "You're lookin' so good in what's left of those blue jeans. Drip of honey on the money make her gotta be. The best buzz I'm ever gonna find" he sang, looking down at his guitar. "Hey, I'm a little drunk on you. And high on summertime." He set his guitar down, figuring he'd play the rest of it for her someday.

"I didn't know you knew how to play that song" she said, in complete awe. He had an incredible voice to go with his guitar playing skills.

"I taught myself how to play it after you told me you liked the song so much" he said, not being shy at all about his reasoning for learning. "I need to work on it a bit more, but I think I have the basics down" he said, smiling at her.

"You're amazing" she told him. Both in his thoughtfulness and his talent.

He didn't really know what to say to that, because it wasn't every day that Elena Gilbert gave him a compliment. But it was nice. "We should go inside. Start dinner" he told her, setting his guitar to the side and standing up.

Elena nodded, standing with him as they made their way to the door. Stefan shut the lights off and both slipped through the barn doors. "Stefan" she said, grabbing his arm as he began to walk off. He stopped and looked at her as the rain continued to come down on top of them. Elena looked into his eyes for a moment, seeing a truly amazing guy staring back at her.

"We should get inside. We're getting soaked" he said after a moment of silence.

Elena nodded again, agreeing with him. But she grabbed onto his t-shirt, pulling him closer to her. She was kissing him before she could stop herself. Right there, in the middle of the rain.

Suddenly, Stefan didn't give two shits about the rain anymore. His arms wrapped around Elena, bringing her closer as he kissed her back.

When Elena pulled away, Stefan looked down at her and saw that she was smiling. "I've always wanted to do that" she said.

"What? Kiss someone in the rain?" he asked.

Elena shook her head no. "Kiss you in the rain" she told him. She let go of his shirt and stepped back from him. He watched as she started to walk off, leaving him feeling pretty damn special. "You coming?" she asked.

He turned around and saw her waiting expectantly for him. "Hang on" he said, walking over to her. She looked up at him curiously. He grabbed her face and leaned in closer. "I wasn't done" he said, smiling as he leaned down and captured her lips with his again.

**A/N: Marry him Elena. **


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Enjoy. And let me know what you think!**

They had both changed into clean and dry clothes after their impromptu kiss in the rain. They hadn't said a word about it as they stood side by side in the kitchen, preparing lasagna and salad. They were still home alone, and it was still storming outside. Stefan hoped he could get the lasagna heated up before the power went out.

He got it in the oven and then leaned against the counter, watching Elena tear lettuce for the salad. "I thought you just wanted to be friends?" he asked.

Elena stilled her hands for a moment, then resumed tearing the salad. "Who said I didn't still want that?" she asked.

"You kissed me" he pointed out. To him, that indicated she wanted to be more than just friends.

"Friends can't kiss each other?" she asked. "Ever heard of friends with benefits?" she questioned.

Stefan sighed. He knew what that was. "I wouldn't do that" he told her. "Sleep with you for the fun of it" he clarified.

Elena laughed slightly. "You're too much of a gentleman to get in my pants?" she asked him, finally looking at him.

"Yes I am" he told her honestly.

Elena stared at him for a good second or two before replying. "So I have to marry you in order to kiss you?" she asked.

"No" he said, shaking his head. "I just want you to know that when I kiss you, I care about you" he said.

"Fuck" Elena cursed under her breath. There he went again, being so sincere and perfect. Elena looked at him for a moment before sighing. It was hard to be sarcastic when he was being so honest. "I told you things that I haven't told anyone" she pointed out. "I think that should count for something." Whether that meant she had feelings for him or not, she didn't know. Or didn't want to find out.

"It does" he said, giving her a small smile. Quite frankly, he'd love to be friends with the girl he was dating. "I just want to be honest with you is all. I'm not kissin' you for fun. I'm kissin' you because I have feelings for you" he said, smiling warmly in her direction. He wouldn't push her to admit she had feelings back, but maybe reminding her of his would help her realize hers. If she even had any towards him. "How's your wrist?" he asked, walking over to her and grabbing it.

Elena dropped the lettuce as she watched him hold her hand and run his thumb over the bruise that had shown up. "Hurts a little" she said. "But I'll survive" she added. He was so focused on her wrist and she knew he felt bad about it. She needed to make him laugh. "So I was wondering when you think I might be able to try riding a bull?" she asked, pulling her hand away from him and going back to tearing lettuce.

He did laugh. "That would be a never" he told her. "Bulls are nothin' to play 'round with" Stefan said.

"Your brother does" Elena said, giving him a cocky grin that Stefan couldn't help but return.

"In case you haven't noticed, my brother's an idiot" Stefan reminded her.

Elena finished the last piece of lettuce and then pushed the bowl aside. "He's reckless" she said, and Stefan nodded his head in agreement. "How'd you end up so responsible?" she asked.

Stefan smiled. "I guess I had to be" he told her. It was true. Damon did some of the stupidest things imaginable, but he loved him nonetheless.

"Do you have cider vinegar and walnuts?" she asked after a moment.

"I think so" he said, reaching up and checking the cupboards. He grabbed a bag of walnuts and found the bottle of vinegar. Elena was pulling other things out of the refrigerator and the pantry. He looked at her curiously and she smiled. It was hard not to smile in his presence she had realized.

"I'm making a maple walnut dressing for the salad" she told him, putting his curiosity to rest.

Stefan walked over with the ingredients and leaned against the counter to watch her. "Your mom teach you how to cook?" he asked, taking the chance that she might want to talk about her parents. He was always curious to learn more.

Elena was silent for a moment and he almost changed the subject for her. "My dad" she said finally. He saw that she was smiling when she turned to look at him. "My mom was a horrible cook. We didn't let her in the kitchen." She mixed her ingredients and checked the consistency. "I'm not the best, but I'm not the worst either" she added.

Stefan smiled. "So what did you learn from your mom then?" he asked.

Elena laughed as she thought about what her mother had taught her. "My mom taught me everything else" she told him. "How to shop, dance, do my makeup, talk to boys …" she listed off. Then she frowned. "She never got the chance to teach me how to drive a stick shift though" Elena said sadly.

"I bet she was lookin' forward to it" Stefan said softly.

Elena nodded. "We always had fun when we were together" she told him.

"And your dad?" he asked.

Elena nodded. "We had fun together too. He worked a lot though. Being the only doctor in town" she explained. "Every time my mom was out of town, he'd let me eat whatever I wanted. And made me swear not to tell her when she got back" Elena said with a smile.

"They sound like amazing parents" Stefan said, looking over at her and seeing her staring down at the ground.

"They were" she said. She couldn't help but use past tense, and it hurt. She felt her eyes sting with tears and she didn't want him to see. "I'll be right back" she said, turning her body away from him and attempting to walk away.

He knew though, what she was doing. "Elena" he said, grabbing her hand and stopping her. "Don't hide from me" he said softly. When she didn't turn back around, he pulled her close and hugged her. "It's okay to cry. You're human" he said quietly, smiling when he heard her laugh softly.

Yes, she supposed she was human. "Thanks Stefan" she said, moving away from him after a moment and wiping at her eyes.

"You're welcome, Elena" he said. He walked back over to the oven to check the lasagna. "This should be done soon. Should be heated up enough" he said, feeling comfortable with the subject change. He figured her opening up a little bit at a time was about all she could do.

The front door opened and both Stefan and Elena looked up to see Ric walking in, dripping wet from the rain. "Everyone locked up for the night?" he asked, setting his cowboy hat on the back of a chair.

Stefan nodded. "Yes Sir" he told him. "Elena and I started dinner. It's almost ready" he added.

Ric looked at Stefan and then Elena. "Well I appreciate that" he said, taking his jacket off. "I hadn't planned on bein' gone so long" he told them. "Got some damn water standin' on them roads out there. Makes it a bitch to drive in" he added.

"We're glad you made it home safe" Stefan told him.

Elena stood there awkwardly as the two engaged in a conversation that she didn't feel too much a part of. "I'm going to go upstairs and wash up" she said, excusing herself from the kitchen.

Ric watched her closely until she was out of sight. "She okay?" Ric asked.

Stefan nodded. "She's getting' there" he said, smiling softly. And he'd help her get there too. "So what were you in town for?" Stefan asked.

Ric sat down at the table, exhausted. "Pickin' up a birthday present for someone" he answered. "A friend of mine" he added.

Stefan smiled even more as he leaned against the counter. "Jenna?" he asked. Ric avoided Stefan's eyes, but he was smiling. "You should tell Jenna how you feel 'bout her" Stefan said. "Maybe invite her out here and spend some time with her?" he suggested for probably the hundredth time.

Ric shook his head no. "We live different lives. Bein' her friend is enough" he told him.

Stefan sighed. "You deserve to be happy Ric" he told him.

"I am happy" he said, almost too defensively. So what if he was in love with Jenna? She lived clear across the country. "Elena get all them bales stacked?" he asked, quickly changing the subject. Stefan nodded. "Uh huh. And how much of it did you do?" Ric asked.

Stefan glanced over at Ric and saw him crossing his arms like he knew. "Them bales weigh almost as much as she does" he said, preparing his argument.

"I know" Ric replied. "I figured you'd help her. There ain't much you won't do for that girl" he said, standing. Stefan wondered where Ric was going with a comment like that, but Ric didn't elaborate. "Next time you see your brother, you let him know it's his turn to unload the truck" he added, leaving the room.

Stefan was still contemplating Ric's comment when Elena came back into the kitchen. She smiled when she saw it was just him in there, and he realized that Ric was wrong.

There wasn't anything that he wouldn't do for Elena.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I'll be back later. I have to go and follow-up with a horse I trained a few months ago" Stefan said as he walked by Elena with an armful of horse blankets. "And get these things washed" he added. "You need anything from town?" he asked, turning around to watch her sweep.

Elena thought for a moment before she answered. "Chocolate would be nice" she told him.

Stefan smiled. "Sure" he said. "I'll only be gone a few hours."

"And then I get my second barrel racing lesson, right?" she asked, walking towards him.

Stefan sighed. He really didn't want to give her another one for fear that she would fall off and get hurt again. "I suppose" he told her. Her eyes lit up and he knew he'd have to give her another lesson. He couldn't stand the thought of her being disappointed.

Elena wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I'll be looking forward to it" she whispered in his ear. His hands found the sides of her waist as he steadied himself. Having her that close, plus her whispering anything into his ear was enough to knock him off of his feet. "Stefan?" she asked, grinning because she was fully aware of what she was doing to him.

"Yeah?" he asked, still holding onto her.

'You should get going" she whispered again, feeling his hands tighten around her waist just a little more. She let go of him and stepped back. She gave him one last smile before turning around to walk away.

Elena felt his hands grab around her waist, pulling her back. He turned her back around and picked her up, setting her on the tailgate of his truck. She was too surprised to say anything, and the look he was giving her took away her ability to think.

So she was glad when he leaned in and kissed her. For being such a gentleman, he sure did know how to take her breath away.

"Stefan!" they heard someone holler from behind the barn. Stefan jumped away from Elena quickly, noticing that they both were breathing hard. Elena jumped down and tried to look busy as Damon walked around the corner. "I need your help checkin' on the cattle" Damon told Stefan.

"Can't" Stefan answered, putting his tailgate back up. "I'm headin' into town" he added. "Elena, I'll see you later" he said, waving to her as he walked to his door and jumped into his truck.

Damon muttered a few curse words before going into the barn and grabbing his horse. And he was still muttering curse words about his brother as he took off on his horse, throwing gravel up behind him.

Elena stared up into the sun and figured it was going to be another hot day. So she decided she had better get her chores done before the heat was too much for her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan had one stop that he hadn't told Elena about. Hell, he hadn't even thought about stopping until he passed her driveway. He threw his truck into reverse and then turned down her driveway, not really sure what he was going to say if he saw her.

But he wanted to make things right.

Katherine was riding in her outdoor arena, which is where he usually found her. Unless the weather conditions were unfavorable. Then, she was in her state of the art indoor arena that her father had built for her when she was younger.

The moment she saw him, he noticed her tense in her saddle which was sending Daisy mixed messages. The horse was throwing her head up and not taking Katherine's cues.

But Katherine didn't stop riding. She worked to correct Daisy, all the while ignoring Stefan. But after a while, Daisy needed a break and Katherine was forced to let her walk. Stefan hopped over the fence and joined Katherine, walking by Daisy's side. "Can we talk?" he asked her, looking up at her.

Katherine looked straight ahead. "Nothin' to talk about" she answered curtly.

Stefan grabbed onto the reins and stopped the horse. When Katherine glared down at him, she noticed that he had the most pained look in his eyes. Like she was actually hurting him. "Please, don't do this Katherine" he told her. His voice was just short of pleading with her. "I'm sorry I hurt you." And he truly was. It had never been his intention.

"You want to talk?" she asked him, completely upset with him and the situation and the fact that she was now crying. "How long before I have to watch you and Elena parade around like a happy couple?" she asked him. He didn't know how to answer that. Even if he was just spending time with Elena, Katherine was going to get hurt.

"I miss talkin' to my friend" he said instead, looking up at her with such sad eyes.

Katherine wiped at her tears angrily. "We're not friends" she told him. "We're nothing to each other" she added with such venom that even she thought it was harsh. But she wouldn't let herself be affected by that look in his eyes that told her she had gone too far.

Stefan dropped the reins and stepped back as Katherine kicked her horse, running away from him. Coming there had only made things worse.

And he didn't know what to do to fix any of it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena was just about ready to go back inside when she saw Damon walking up on his horse, carrying something. "My brother home yet?" he asked. Elena shook her head no. When Damon got close enough, she finally saw what he had resting in front of him on the saddle. A calf. "Found her all on her own. Her mama ain't feedin' her and none of the others are takin' her in" he said, carefully getting down and then grabbing the baby.

"So what do we do?" Elena asked, already feeling bad for the abandoned little cow. She was so tiny in Damon's arms, and Elena figured she couldn't be much more than a few days old.

"Bottle feed her" Damon announced, taking the calf into the barn. Elena followed. "Every two hours" he added. Elena watched Damon grab a container and a bottle off of the shelf in the barn. "Go fill this up for me in the kitchen" he instructed. "I'll get her settled in a stall."

Elena walked quickly to the house with the supplies and read the instructions for the formula. When she got back to the barn with the bottle, Damon had put straw down for the calf. "Here" she said, handing him the bottle.

Damon shook his head. "I still have another 100 head of cattle to look after. You're gonna have to play mama until Stefan gets back" he told her.

He left Elena standing in the stall without a clue as to what to do. She had never seen a cow up close before. And now she was expected to feed one. Elena sighed as she knelt down in front of the calf and pointed the bottle at its mouth. She wouldn't take it though. "Come on, it's good" Elena said. Now she knew why she never babysat. She was horrible at this sort of thing.

Ric had taken off on horseback earlier and she hadn't seen him for about an hour. She had no idea what time Stefan would be home.

She sighed again and sat down next to the calf. Slowly, she reached her hand out to pet her. She was kind of cute for being a cow. "You don't have a mom either, huh?" she asked, feeling stupid for talking to a cow, but also realizing that she was trying to make a personal connection with a cow. She had seriously been on that ranch for too long. "Do you want to try this?" Elena asked, tipping the bottle towards the calf again. The calf sniffed it, but turned its head. So Elena pushed the bottle closer and wrapped her arm around the calf's neck to hold her still.

Elena smiled triumphantly when the calf began feeding. Never in a million years would she have thought that she would be bottle feeding a baby cow. Then again, she never imagined herself living on a ranch either.

A truck door slammed about 20 minutes later. Elena figured it was Stefan. She had finished feeding the calf and couldn't seem to get herself to leave its side. It had licked her hand and she was pretty sure she was in love. Growing up, she never got to have any pets. This calf was like her first pet, and she was pretty excited about it because she had wanted an animal since she could remember.

Stefan strolled into the barn moments later, carrying the blankets. He glanced to his left and saw Elena. Sitting on the stall floor. With a calf practically on her lap. Elena smiled when she saw him. "Where'd you get that?" he asked, stopping.

"Damon" Elena answered, looking down at the calf and petting the top of her head. "He found her abandoned and brought her back here. I just fed her" Elena explained. "Bessy. I just fed Bessy. That's a good name for a cow, right?" she asked, looking at Stefan for his approval.

Stefan just looked at her funny for a moment before realizing Elena didn't know any better. "Yeah, it is" he said, smiling before walking away and putting the blankets up. He walked back out of the barn quickly and Elena wondered where he was going.

Stefan knew where he was going though. He saw Damon riding towards the ranch with a herd of cattle that needed to be given vaccines. Stefan was supposed to help with that, along with Ric. "Can I talk to you?" Stefan said as he walked through the field, none too pleased with his older brother.

Damon smiled as he approached. "Well hey now brother, what's goin' on?" he asked, stopping his horse just in front of Stefan. "You don't look too happy" he added.

"Damn right I ain't happy!" Stefan barked at him. "What were you thinkin', givin' Elena a calf to take care of?" he asked.

Damon looked at him confused. "It needed to be fed and Elena was here" he shrugged.

Stefan put his hands on his hips and turned slightly away from his brother out of frustration. "Shirt Damon. She's gone fallin' in love with it. Even gave it a name" he said.

Damon smirked. "What'd she name it, Dinner?" he asked, laughing at his own joke.

Stefan didn't find it funny though. Elena was attached to a baby cow that Damon had no intention of giving to her. "That ain't funny" Stefan said, glaring at his brother. "You can't take that calf from her" he announced. It would break Elena's heart.

Damon scoffed. "The hell I can't" he said. "As soon as Elena's done bottle feedin' it, she'll go back with the rest of the herd and be slaughtered when she's big enough" he informed. "That's the way it is 'round here" he reminded.

"I know it is!" Stefan snapped. "But Elena, she don't know that. She ain't part of this lifestyle, and I can damn well tell you that she ain't gonna like the fact that the animal will be slaughtered in the future" Stefan pointed out.

Damon shrugged. "You think I care 'bout what your girlfriend thinks?" he asked. This only seemed to irritate Stefan more. "Cows are born, and then we eat them Stefan. Ain't nothin' 'bout that gonna change."

Stefan took his hat off and ran his hand over his head. "You can't let that one go to slaughter" he told Damon. Elena looked happy with that calf, and if she was happy, Stefan wasn't going to let anything or anyone take that away from her.

Damon laughed. "I ain't givin' her that cow" he told Stefan. "She'll be worth 1000 bucks when she's matured" he reminded. There was no way he was losing out on money.

Stefan sighed. He didn't have 1000 dollars currently. He wouldn't until he finished up the training on a few client horses. Or sold some of his young horses. But the thought of watching Elena have to give up the calf wasn't something he wanted to think about. Stefan pulled out his wallet. "I can give you 200 now and the rest when I get paid" he told him.

Damon grinned. And Stefan knew that grin. It was an evil one. "Maybe I don't wanna sell it to you" he said.

"Damon don't do this" Stefan warned, holding the money out.

Damon saw his brother sweating and figured he had best just get it over with. Damon grabbed the money out of Stefan's hand. "I'll be expectin' that other 800 by the end of the month" he informed him. Stefan nodded. "And just where do you think you're gonna keep just one cow?" he asked his brother.

Stefan looked back at the barn. "Probably in the barn" he answered. With his horses.

Damon laughed some more. "Brother, you are whipped" Damon said, still laughing. "Well, better you than me" he added, turning his horse to finish getting the cows in the pen.

Stefan walked back to the barn and found Elena brushing the calf. With one of his expensive horse brushes, but he decided not to say anything. "She's just the cutest thing" Elena said, completely doting on animal that Stefan had always considered to be food.

He leaned against the stall door and watched her. "I don't suppose you've ever owned a cow before?" he asked her.

Elena shook her head, continuing to brush softly. "I've never even had a dog" she told him. "My dad was allergic, so we couldn't have pets" she explained. Stefan's heart sank. So this calf was pretty much her first pet. "Do they make blankets for baby cows, you know, like ones you put on your horses?" she asked.

Stefan was pretty sure that somewhere in the world, they did. But not where he was from. "I don't think so Elena" he answered. "She'll be fine in the straw" he told her.

Elena didn't like that answer though. "It still gets chilly at night" she reminded him. "I think she needs something. Do you have an old sweatshirt?" she asked.

Bless her heart. How could he say no to her when she was acting like what he thought was probably the Elena she used to be. "I bet I can find one" he told her, turning to go back to the house to look.

"And scissors!" she called after him.

Stefan riffled through his closet until he found an old sweatshirt that was stained. He grabbed a pair of scissors from the kitchen and went back to the barn.

It took Elena about ten minutes to fashion a sweater that would fit the calf. "There, now she'll stay warm tonight" Elena said.

Stefan didn't know whether to feel bad for the calf or not. The poor thing probably didn't know what was going on. "I'm gonna work with some of the horses and then I'll be ready for your lesson" he told Elena.

"Okay" she said, completely preoccupied with her new pet. Stefan just smiled as he walked away from her.

Maybe this meant she was starting to like being at the ranch.

**A/N: Stefan. I just … he's too perfect.**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Thank you for your patience. I struggled to write this update, as it hits very close to home for me. But I hope I was able to come through and that you all can feel the emotion that I tried to put into it.**

**Do let me know that you thinks.**

Elena had finished yet another bottle feeding when Stefan had come to tell her that he was ready to give her her lesson. Stefan watched Elena tell the calf goodbye, and that she would be back a little later. She looked like a nervous mom, leaving her baby for the first time.

"The horses will keep her company" Stefan assured her. Truthfully, his horses probably wondered why a cow was in their barn with them.

Elena scratched behind the calf's ear and smiled down at her. "Okay" she said. Stefan opened the stall door for her and she walked out. When she got outside, she found Red tacked up and tied to the fence. She also saw cones in the arena instead of barrels. "Where are the barrels?" she asked, turning around to look at him.

"We're not workin' with barrels today" he answered. "I'm gonna try somethin' different" he said confidently.

Elena glared at him. "No way" she told him. She would rather go spend time with her new pet. "Cones are what you use for the kids, aren't they?" she asked. She wasn't a kid.

"Yeah, and they learn a hell of a lot faster because they listen to me and do what they're supposed to" he replied, crossing his arms. If she wanted to throw attitude at him, he'd throw it right back. "You gotta trust me on this" he told her. Elena shook her head no and started to walk off, having no interest in riding with cones. He had promised her barrel racing lessons, and the arena did not look like it was set up for barrel racing. Stefan stepped in front of her though before she could get past him. "I promise I know what I'm doin' Elena" he said, trying one last time to get her on board. In all honesty, he should have been using the cones in the first place. But Elena had a way of clouding his judgment because she knew exactly what to do to get him to see things her way. He let her do that of course, because he was a sucker for a pretty girl who wanted his attention.

Elena looked up at him and saw how serious he was. She probably should have realized how lucky she was to be working with Stefan. People came from all over Wyoming to work with him. She hated not getting her way though. "Fine" she told him, clearly indicating with her tone that she was not impressed with his way of doing things.

"Get on and warm up" he told her, relieved that she wasn't going to fight him on this. Elena did so, and he could tell that her snarky attitude was slowly leaving her system as she rode around the arena. Riding did that to a person though. Stefan got busy rearranging the cones while Elena rode in circles around him. Walk, trot, canter. Just like he had showed her how to do. The one thing he did admire about her was how quickly she learned new things. She was smart and he'd never underestimate that.

As soon as she was done warming Red up, she walked over to Stefan and stopped in front of him. "So what am I doing today?" she asked, less than thrilled.

Stefan just smiled up at her though. "Figure eights" he replied. "Trot them first. Then canter" he instructed. Elena rolled her eyes because it was such amateur stuff. But he gave her that look that told her she had better do it. So she did. Sometimes all it took was a sexy stern look from him for her to back down. But for the record, she loved all his looks. Elena trotted the figure eight pattern. "Those are teardrops Elena. Not figure eights" he called out to her. Elena glared at him as she went to try again. "Stay closer to the cones Elena" he called out again. He could see that she was getting frustrated. "Heels down Elena" he added as she trotted by.

"Shut up Stefan" she grumbled, trying the pattern one more time to his liking. He smirked, because giving her a little bit of shit was good for her.

"Better" Stefan told her. Elena pushed Red into a canter and concentrated on the same pattern. "Remember to breathe!" he called out.

Elena breathed in and out slowly, choosing to take his advice. It wasn't that difficult to canter in a figure eight because the turns were wide. Elena came back to the center of the arena and stopped. "Can I have the barrels back now?" she asked.

Stefan grinned. "Not quite yet" he said, walking away to move the cones again, and add a few more. "Serpentines. Canter them" he informed her. "Five down and five back. These will be tight turns, because you're going to stay close to the cones" he said. This pattern would allow him to figure out where she needed help. The small area he was allowing for her to turn around the cone mimicked the turn she would do around a barrel.

"Really Stefan?" Elena asked him. "I'm bored. Bring back the barrels" she whined.

"Now I know I don't hear whining" Stefan said, eyeing her closely. He walked towards her, grabbing onto her lower leg, pulling her boot a little more out of the stirrup. Elena tried not to focus on his hands touching her leg, but it was kind of hard not to. She swallowed nervously, because if just his hands could make her feel that way, she could only imagine what his whole body would do to her. "The ball of your foot should rest on the stirrup" he said, looking back up at her. Her attention was immediately pulled away from her sexual fantasies and brought back down to him talking to her. When his hands let go of her, she felt herself breathe again. "Go on now" he told her. Elena turned Red and walked away from Stefan to the end of the arena. Stefan walked to the outside of the arena and perched himself up on the fence to watch. It was hard for Elena to believe that she was actually living on a ranch and there was an actual cowboy watching her, giving her all of his attention. She kind of felt pretty damn special. "I ain't got all day!" he called out.

Elena grinned. She was going to show him that she could do this. Piece of cake. Elena cued Red into a canter and braced herself for the first turn. She had to grab onto the saddle horn to stay balanced as she cantered across the arena. Again, she braced herself for the second turn and nearly fell off. She had to ask Red to stop so she could get herself situated again. She was pretty disappointed with herself and even a little nervous that Stefan was walking across the arena towards her.

"You're lookin' down when you make these kinds of turns" he said, stopping next to Red. He noticed that she was upset with herself. "Hey" he said, resting his hand on her leg again. "Easy fix" he said, giving her a small smile. "From now on, when you go into a tight turn, I want you to look straight ahead at the next cone" he told her. "Stay relaxed. He'll do all the work" he added.

"Okay" she said, nodding. She turned Red around again, thinking about what Stefan had told her. She could also hear him yelling words of encouragement to her as she walked to her starting point. That had helped. She stopped Red and took a deep breath before letting it go. Then she was off. At the first turn, she looked ahead at the next cone. She had to smile when she cleared the cone effortlessly and was on to the next one. Again, she looked ahead at the next cone and could feel herself lean in naturally with Red.

By the time she got to the middle of the arena, when she looked up at the next cone, she was staring right into Stefan's excited face. He was yelling and telling her to keep going. She honestly felt like she knew what she was doing.

When she finished going down the arena and back, she brought Red to a walk and eventually stopped. Her heart was racing from excitement. And Stefan was running towards her, grabbing her out of the saddle and hugging her. "That was awesome!" he said excitedly, holding her close.

Elena wiggled her way out of his tight embrace so she could look up at him. She was all smiles. She hadn't felt that accomplished in a long time. "That was amazing!" she squealed, grabbing Stefan's face in her hands and kissing him unexpectedly. She just couldn't help it.

Stefan pulled Elena closer, enjoying kissing her out under the sun. Red stood patiently, occasionally turning to look back at what they were doing.

Elena pulled away from Stefan eventually, smiling shyly when she saw him looking so happy. "You did good" he told her softly, brushing a few strands of hair out of her eyes. "I'll bring out the barrels next time" he told her.

Elena smiled. "No. Keep the cones for a little while. They help" she told him.

"Okay" he smiled, leaning in to kiss her again.

But she placed her fingers on his lips, stopping him. "I want to do that again" she smiled, slowly turning around and climbing back into the saddle. He just laughed. If she was going to reject him, he was glad to see that it was to ride.

Stefan retreated back to his spot on the fence to watch her. He figured he ought to take her to the rodeo that weekend. She had said she wanted to go to another one, and she definitely deserved a few hours away from the ranch. Heck, he thought she might even appreciate barrel racing a little more now that she knew it was a challenge.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So is Rebekah going to be riding one of your horses today?" Elena asked as she walked with Stefan to find a seat in the bleachers. She was holding the lemonade that Stefan had bought for her. She almost wanted to laugh at herself because a few months ago, she would have been holding a beer or maybe something stronger.

Stefan grabbed her hand and helped her navigate the bleachers. "No. We decided none of the horses were ready yet" he told her, finding a good spot and sitting down.

Elena sat down next to him. "You know, I wouldn't mind seeing you out there again" Elena said, bumping his shoulder playfully with hers.

Stefan smiled shyly. "You will" he told her. He didn't know when, but the thought of Elena wanting to see him compete was enough to make him want to get back out there.

They had missed the first half of the rodeo because Elena was so worried about sticking to the calf's feeding schedule. "Is Damon competing today?" she asked, seeing the truck rolling through the arena, setting up the barrels for barrel racing.

"Nah. He wanted to take this one off so he could go up to Montana next weekend to compete" Stefan explained. Which meant Stefan would have to pick up Damon's chores for that weekend. "Speakin' of Damon" Stefan said, seeing Damon and Rebekah walking up the bleachers. Stefan waved and Damon made them scoot over so he could sit. Rebekah passed Stefan and sat down next to Elena.

"When's Kat up?" Damon asked, biting into the hamburger he had. Elena looked over at Stefan, but he looked just as surprised as her to learn that Katherine was competing that day.

Rebekah unfolded the paper she was given at the gate and searched for Katherine's name. "She's fourth" Rebekah announced.

"This is kind of a low-key rodeo for her to be competin' in" Stefan mentioned.

Damon shrugged. "The girl's unstoppable" he mentioned.

"She's been workin' really hard the past few weeks. She's been trainin' with some bigwig from Texas" Rebekah said.

Stefan avoided everyone's eyes, because he had been Katherine's go-to person for all things related to barrel racing. He wasn't surprised though. If she wouldn't talk to him, he shouldn't have been surprised that she wouldn't train with him either.

The first few barrel racers came and went, none with very impressive times. Damon had been yapping away the entire time about this and that, but nothing too important. Rebekah had been taking note of how close Elena was sitting to Stefan.

Katherine was up next. "I'm gonna go get a better look" Damon announced, standing up and going back down the bleachers.

They announced Katherine's name, and Daisy's. The crowd went wild, because despite coming from a small town, she had quite the fan base.

Katherine and Daisy entered the arena, and Daisy was ready to go. She pranced in place, telling Katherine that it was time. Katherine gave her a firm pat on her neck as she got them into place.

Then Katherine and Daisy took off, clearing the first barrel without issue and moving on to the second. Stefan guessed it wouldn't be a superfast time for her, but she didn't need it either. She had no competition that day.

Katherine and Daisy were rounding the last barrel and preparing to run back when Stefan noticed something. To the untrained eye, it might have looked like Daisy tripped and then caught herself. But something told Stefan that wasn't it.

Daisy took a few more staggered steps, slowing down significantly. Katherine's body jolted forward from the abrupt decrease in speed, but she managed to stay on.

Then panic set in as the entire crowd witnessed Daisy falling sideways, with Katherine going down with her.

Stefan stood quickly, watching Katherine falling off of Daisy as Daisy hit the ground. He swore he could hear the thud from where he was standing. Damon was already hopping the fence and running towards Katherine. Stefan wasn't far behind him as he ran down the bleachers.

People in the crowd were all standing now, whispering and praying and trying to figure out what had happened. Rebekah had stood immediately too, pushing people out of the way so she could get down from the bleachers too. Elena just sat there, trying to ground herself. So much panic, all around her. She knew this feeling. Uncertainty.

Rodeo officials had surrounded Katherine, checking her for injuries. A veterinarian was running across the arena as well for Daisy.

"Katherine!" Damon yelled, running as fast as he could to her. She was sitting up now, watching in horror as her horse gave labored breaths, gasping for air. "Katherine" he said, sliding down beside her and checking her for injuries himself. She was covered in dirt, but otherwise seemed physically okay. Her eyes were glued to her horse as a veterinarian was assessing her.

Stefan saw that Damon had Katherine. He ran past them some, looking at Daisy lying helplessly on the ground. Daisy moved her legs, trying to get up, but not being able to. She was breathing hard still, making desperate calls, clearly in distress. Stefan made eye contact with the veterinarian, who just shook his head sadly. Stefan stood there frozen, trying to comprehend what was happening.

Katherine tried to get up to go to Daisy, but Damon held her back. "Daisy" Katherine cried, her body finally allowing her to do so. "Daisy!" she yelled as the tears mixed with the dirt on her face. Stefan turned around to see Katherine, and it hurt so much to see her like that. "Help her!" Katherine screamed. "Help her Stefan!" she demanded as the tears flooded down her face.

He couldn't though. There was nothing he could do. Nothing to fix the situation. Nothing to make it any better. "Get her out of here" Stefan said slowly, directing his statement to Damon. Damon looked at him, confused and scared. "Now Damon!" Stefan yelled suddenly.

Damon didn't hesitate to get up, bringing Katherine with him. He struggled for a moment to drag Katherine along with him, as her full attention was set on trying to get to Daisy. "Daisy!" Katherine continued to yell, trying desperately to look back at her horse.

Rebekah was running towards Damon to help with a distraught Katherine. Stefan could hear Katherine's pleas for a while until they became distant. Once she was out of sight, Stefan's eyes finally landed on Elena, standing at the fence and looking at him in complete shock. Like she was lost and she wanted to help but didn't think she could.

He couldn't help Elena right then though. He was surrounded by strangers yelling different things as they all tried to help Daisy. The crowd had been directed to leave the area while the situation was dealt with.

Stefan felt his own tears well up in his eyes as he slowly turned back to Daisy. He knelt down next to her, trying to stay out of the way of the professionals. Stefan placed his hand on her neck, feeling how sweaty she was. Her entire body was heaving and Stefan hated to think she was in pain. That she was scared. "Easy girl" he said softly, his voice shaking. She seemed to recognize his voice and her ear turned towards him. They had history.

A few moments later, Stefan watched her take a big labored breath before she went still. Silent.

Stefan closed his eyes, tilting his head down so that his hat would shield his face. He cried quietly as the realization hit him.

Daisy was gone.

**A/N: I'm going to go and cry a little more.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Let me know what you think. This update is pretty Stefan and Elena centered for the most part. **

It had taken five men and a tractor to get Daisy up onto the back of a truck. Stefan had watched, but he couldn't bring himself to help. And no one seemed to ask him to.

The rodeo officials had called for the rodeo to resume in two hours. The show needed to go on, even after a tragedy.

Stefan knew that Elena was still in the bleachers watching him. Eventually, he needed to go up there and say something. That he was okay and that things would be fine. He needed to be strong.

But he wasn't okay. Beneath the shock, his heart hurt. He'd raised that little horse until he gave her to Katherine. Even then, he'd watched Daisy progress into the little champion she had been.

Stefan heard his brother call out Katherine's name and when Stefan turned around, Katherine was running towards him. Her eyes were still red and puffy, not their usual sparkly brown. Katherine stopped running when she was within ten feet or so of Stefan, looking past him at Daisy in back of someone's truck.

It never crossed Stefan's mind that just maybe, Katherine had come back out there thinking Daisy was still alive. Her hands threaded through her hair as the realization hit her that her beloved friend was in fact gone. "No" she said as her tears began cascading down her face again. "NO!" she yelled, taking off running for the truck. Stefan moved sideways and caught her with his arms, wanting to stop her. To save her from having to see her horse dead up close. But she shoved him off of her effortlessly, because he wasn't one to ever hold her back from anything.

All the guys standing near the truck all moved aside as Katherine approached. A few knew her and her family, though no one said anything. Katherine stopped in front of the tailgate where Daisy's still head was laying. She closed her eyes, crying softly. She reached out and placed her hand on Daisy's neck. Katherine let out an exasperated cry as she ran her hand over Daisy. "Please, no" she cried, laying her head down on Daisy's to be closer to her.

Stefan couldn't help but start crying again as he watched Katherine. She didn't deserve to feel that much pain.

A few minutes later, the veterinarian placed his hand on Katherine's shoulder. "Darlin', we need to take Daisy in to my office now" he told her softly. An autopsy was in order to determine the cause of death for such a young horse.

Katherine shook her head no as she continued to cry. She wasn't ready yet. Stefan forced his feet to move, walking towards Katherine. The veterinarian looked helpless as to what to do, so Stefan stepped up. "Katherine, they need to take her now" he said quietly. She ignored him, and didn't move. He painfully grabbed her arms and pulled her away from Daisy. Katherine fought him for a few moments before she gave up. She was just too tired.

Her entire body collapsed into him as he held her, whispering soothing things to her as she cried. "Stefan" she cried softly into his shirt. Her best friend was lying dead in the back of someone's truck. It was her worst nightmare come true.

Stefan pulled her closer and rubbed her back. "I know" he whispered. He honestly did. "We'll figure this out" he added, sounding more confident that he was.

Because how did you help someone say goodbye to her best friend?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Damon and Rebekah had agreed to take Katherine home and keep an eye on her since her parents were gone for the weekend.

That left Stefan to finally be alone with Elena. He walked across the bleachers slowly, his boots echoing off of the metal. She was sitting at the bottom, staring out at the empty arena. He honestly expected her to be angry or upset about the embrace he had shared with Katherine earlier. How close they had appeared and that emotional connection that would always be there between them.

Elena remained silent, even though she knew she should say something. Something supportive or something to let him know that she was sorry about what happened. "We should go home" he said, startling her a bit. She hadn't expected him to say anything at all. She didn't have to look back at him to know he was sad and torn apart by what had happened. She could just feel it.

She stood, grabbing onto the railing for support. Stefan watched her walk past him as she led the way.

The entire ride home was silent. The radio was turned down low, and for the most part, just some local news about Rawlins and other towns nearby was being broadcasted.

Stefan stared straight ahead the entire time. One hand on the wheel and the other resting on his leg. He was thinking hard, but he wasn't talking. Elena wasn't so sure she liked the silence. She couldn't tell what he was thinking and that made her anxious.

When they made it back to the ranch, Elena got out of the truck and waited for Stefan to walk inside with her. He walked off towards the barn though, leaving her by herself. She figured he probably wanted to be alone, and she knew what it felt like to want that.

She headed inside by herself and found Ric at the table with a calculator and various papers. "Y'all are home early" he said, looking up at Elena.

Elena nodded, feeling a lump in her throat. "Katherine's horse died" she stated, looking at him while she said it. Ric slowly set the papers down and looked at her like he hadn't heard her right. "She just … fell. While Katherine was riding her. And they had to drag Katherine away and then Daisy just … she died" Elena said, almost automatically. Because she was in that weird space where she had no attachment or no connection with Katherine or the horse, yet she knew it was a tragedy that people were grieving over.

"Where's Stefan?" Ric asked.

"The barn" Elena said quietly.

He stood up and without another word, was heading out the door. Elena moved herself over in front of the window so she could watch Stefan and Ric's exchange. Stefan was outside of the barn, messing with something. When Ric approached, they exchanged a few words and Ric placed his hand on Stefan's shoulder. Stefan nodded, then turned and went back into the barn.

Ric turned around and walked back towards the house. Elena quickly got herself up the stairs, not wanting to talk to Ric about what had happened.

She shut her door and moved onto her bed, looking up at the ceiling at the fan that was spinning around and around. She didn't feel right, and she was okay admitting that it was probably because she was worried about Stefan. She was fine feeling sad and mopey, but she hated watching others feel that way too. It was uncomfortable, and worst of all, she felt helpless.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena had been out to feed her calf a few times since they got home that afternoon. Stefan had left, taking off on his horse and disappearing into the trees. Ric had gone off to take care of the cattle.

She still felt lost about what to do about Stefan. Rebekah was going to be busy with Katherine, and Elena didn't think leaving Stefan alone was the right answer either.

At around seven, she was sitting down at the kitchen table, staring at the phone. For over an hour, she had been contemplating calling someone, but hadn't quite mustered up the courage to do it. It was getting late, so she knew she needed to.

With a sigh, she stood up and grabbed the phone. And with shaky fingers, she dialed a familiar, yet distant number. After four rings, someone picked up. "Aunt Jenna?" Elena asked quietly.

It was silent for a moment before she replied. "Elena?" Jenna asked. "Is everything okay?" she asked again.

Elena closed her eyes and nodded. "Yeah" she replied. "I mean no. I don't know" she said, quite flustered with the day's events and all of her feelings.

"What's going on?" Jenna asked.

Elena could tell that she sounded worried, and the past year, that worry had driven Elena insane. But it was comforting now. "A horse that Stefan raised died today at the rodeo" she answered. "He's taking it pretty hard and … I … I don't know what to do. Or say" she explained.

Jenna could tell that Elena was stressing out about this, much like she had when she was a kid. When she wanted to help someone but didn't know what to do. "Just be there for him" Jenna told her simply. Like it was the most obvious answer. "Let him know that you're there if he needs to talk or needs you to do something for him" she said softly.

Elena sighed. "I think he wants his space" she said.

"Maybe" Jenna told her. "Or maybe he doesn't want to burden you with his feelings" she added.

"Maybe" Elena said. "Look, I'll let you go. Hope I'm not keeping you up" she said quickly. She really didn't want to talk about Stefan anymore. She didn't really want to talk at all anymore. Those few moments she had been on the phone with her aunt had been enough for one evening.

"You're not" Jenna told her. There was a short pause before she said anything more. "I miss this. When you used to come to me for advice" she said quietly. Boys, makeup and clothes. Jenna had been Elena's go-to person for all of that when she didn't want to ask her mother.

Elena felt the lump in her throat grow and her eyes sting with unshed tears. She used to talk to her aunt about everything, and now she felt like they were distant acquaintances. "Goodnight" Elena said, not wanting to discuss where things had gone wrong. Because Elena knew she had been the one to push Jenna away.

"Nigh Elena" Jenna said softly.

Elena hung up the phone and let out a breath she had been holding.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena yawned as she walked back up the stairs, having done her midnight feeding for the calf. Stefan had made it back in from his ride not long before, but had gone straight to his room and hadn't come out since.

His light was seeping through under his door. She really did want to say something to him, she just didn't know what. She could tell him that they had saved him some dinner, and that would at least get her in his room to check on him.

Stefan's back was to her when she opened his door and let herself in. He was looking at something, but she couldn't see what it was exactly. "We saved you dinner" she told him. Stefan didn't say anything. He just kept looking at whatever it was that he was looking at. "I'll be in my room if you need me" she added, waiting for a moment to see if he would respond. He didn't. Elena sighed and began to shut the door to leave.

But then she stopped. Maybe Jenna was right. Maybe Stefan didn't want to burden her with his own feelings, knowing that she had plenty of her own. Slowly, Elena came back into his room and walked towards his bed, sitting down next to him.

Pictures. He was looking at pictures. Elena reached over and grabbed one out of his hand. A picture of two young kids giving a young horse a bath. Stefan looked different, but there was no mistaking Katherine with her long brown curly hair. "I saved Daisy off of a farm down the road" Stefan said quietly, looking at the picture Elena was holding. "She was just a few months old, and her mom had starved to death. Daisy was so weak, and I just picked her up and put her in the cab of my truck to take home. We honestly thought she wasn't gonna make it."

"She looks really good in this picture" Elena said, looking up at him. It was scary, to hear him start to open up. She had avoided feelings and emotions for so long.

Stefan smiled sadly. "I put a lot of time and effort into nursin' her back to health." Stefan handed Elena another picture, one of Daisy tied to a fence with her main and tail braided. "She was the meanest little thing. Hard as hell to catch too" he added. "She used to bite me when I'd walk by. And kick at me when I was cleanin' her feet. She'd buck me every chance she got" he said, letting another smile appear. "Even took Katherine under a tree and knocked her off. Kat has the scar above her ear to prove it."

"So what changed?" Elena asked. Daisy obviously wasn't the same mean little horse she had been when she was younger.

Stefan shrugged. "I guess she just needed to know that we loved her. That we weren't gonna hurt her or neglect her. That she was safe" he told her. Elena didn't want to think that those words reflected her behavior when she first arrived at the ranch in any way. "I trained her myself. Loved her a whole lot and probably would have kept her too" he added.

"You gave her to Katherine" Elena mentioned.

Stefan nodded, handing Elena an older photo of Katherine riding Daisy. "She was meant to be with Katherine. They had the same fire, the same drive" he explained. "Daisy trusted Katherine more than anyone, and I saw that. I just wanted the best for her."

Elena could tell that Stefan was starting to get choked up, talking about Daisy. And it should have made her want to get up and leave, to avoid talking about sad feelings. But she couldn't bring herself to leave him. "I'm sorry this happened, Stefan" she told him, seeing him trying so hard not to cry in front of her. "If you ever need anything …" she began, only to see him actually crying then.

And it broke her heart. Seeing this strong, tough cowboy crying in front of her. She took the pictures from him and set them aside. Then she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.

Stefan lifted his tired arms up and wrapped his arms around her too, letting himself be comforted for the first time that day. He rested his head against hers, and allowed himself to relax in her embrace. "Thanks, Elena" he said quietly, doing his best to not let his voice crack.

Elena pulled away from him slightly, bringing her hands to rest against his cheeks. She looked into his eyes, seeing so much hurt and sadness. "You'll be okay?" she asked, needing to know. He looked at her too and nodded slowly. Eventually, he'd be okay. He had lost animals on the ranch before. This one had just been one that he was particularly close to. Elena looked into his eyes for another moment, and then leaned in to brush her lips against his ever so softly. A comforting kiss, reminding him that she was there.

Elena leaned her head back down against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him again, willing to sit there with him as long as he needed her to.

**A/N: I love Stefan so much. And I hate seeing him hurt, but I do enjoy seeing Elena step up and do some of the comforting for once ;)**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Totally going to be late to work now, but I wanted you to have this update now and not have to wait until tonight!**

**Enjoy!**

Elena yawned as she pulled her barn boots on and made her way outside. She had been up every few hours to feed her calf and after a few days of keeping that schedule, she was starting to feel the exhaustion.

Stefan was already in the barn, preparing grain buckets for all of his horses. He had six total now. Red, his ranch horse, Orion his competitive horse, and his four youngsters, Cowboy, P.J., Hannah and Fiona. She couldn't tell you who was who, but she knew those were the names of the young ones. Rebekah rode Fiona, but Elena was sure that Stefan favored Hannah. Elena thought P.J was the cutest and Stefan had caught Elena on more than one occasion sneaking extra treats to him. Cowboy tended to keep to himself, and Elena thought he looked lonely.

Elena grabbed a handful of grain and walked to P.J.'s stall to feed him. "You're spoilin' him" Stefan said, coming to stand behind Elena.

She just smiled. "He's a good boy" Elena mentioned, scratching behind his ear.

"He's almost solid on his walk, trot and canter now" Stefan mentioned, handing Elena his grain bucket to give to him. "You can ride him on the trail soon. I need to start takin' Cowboy out too" Stefan said.

Elena whipped around. "Wait, are you serious?" she asked. P.J. was young still, and the only horse she had ever ridden was Red who was well trained.

"I'm serious" he told her, walking back by her to give Red his grain.

Elena watched him and could tell that he was feeling better after yesterday's accident. Well, he was probably doing a better job of hiding how he was feeling. She knew he was worried about Katherine though, and as much as Elena didn't like her, she knew Katherine was hurting too. "Okay" Elena said to appease him. Truthfully, she was excited to get to ride P.J.

"Hey Elena?" he asked, tossing all of the horses a flake of hay as he walked back by her. "Thank you for last night. I guess I needed to talk about it" he told her.

Her back was to him, but she could feel his eyes on her. He was being nice and thanking her. Her defenses went up and she just shrugged. "It was no big deal" she said, brushing him off. It wasn't until she felt his hand on her arm, turning her to face him that she knew she wasn't fooling him.

"I know it wasn't easy for you, so thank you" he said simply. Elena was at a loss for words, but she did manage to nod her head. "Okay" he said, smiling shyly as he squeezed her arm.

Elena watched him grab a saddle off of its stand and she wondered who he was going to ride later. "Hey Stefan?" she asked, causing him to turn around and stop. "You should go and see Katherine. She probably needs a friend right now" Elena said quietly. Mentally, she was kicking herself. He'd probably go over and comfort Katherine and then fall in love with her. Maybe that was for the best though. Elena knew she wasn't planning on sticking around after the summer anyways.

"Yeah. I might do that" he said, giving her a curious look before continuing on his way.

Elena sighed, shaking her head at herself. This new caring side of hers was strange. Elena checked her watch and figured she could take her calf for a walk to get the mail. Stefan had bought her a calf halter, in pink as requested, and she figured she should start using it.

Elena grabbed Bessy and slipped her halter over her head before clipping a lead rope to her. Then she led her out of the barn towards the driveway. It was going to be another beautiful day out.

Ric was standing at the sink, washing dishes from breakfast. He happened to look out the window to see Elena walking down the driveway with a calf. He quickly shut the water off and walked outside. Stefan was loading his truck up and Elena was out of earshot. Ric whistled and got Stefan's attention. "What the hell's that?" he asked, pointing towards Elena.

"Elena's gettin' the mail" Stefan answered, ignoring Ric's real question.

"What's she doin' with one of my calves?" he questioned, walking towards Stefan.

"Damon gave her to Elena to foster and Elena wanted to keep her so I bought her off a Damon" Stefan explained.

Ric looked dumbfounded. "That's a beef cow. Not a pet" Ric reminded Stefan. "We ain't got time or room for a pet cow" he insisted.

Stefan leaned against his truck and sighed. "Like I told Damon. Elena's not used to this whole ranchin' business. She's been takin' real good care of that calf and she's fallen in love with it. I paid Damon a fair price and I'll be financially responsible for her care from here on out" Stefan assured him. He was proud of Elena for her responsibility. It was only fair.

"Jesus Christ Stefan" Ric said, shaking his head.

Stefan sighed. "Just trust me on this one Ric" he told him. "That calf will be a good thing for Elena. She's shown a lot of responsibility already" he assured him. "And just think" Stefan added with a knowing smile. "If Elena starts talkin' to Jenna 'bout how happy she is with her new pet, that's surely gonna look good for you" he added with a grin. Stefan swore Ric blushed under the scruff hiding his face. Ric loved Jenna, and that was obvious. "I have to run into town. You need anything?" he asked.

"Yeah. I need a few fence posts to replace the ones on the south end of the property" he told him.

Stefan nodded. "Sure thing" he said, jumping into his truck.

Ric took his hat off and walked back to the house, cursing under his breath. It was absurd for a cattle rancher to have a pet cow. If the other ranchers got wind of it, they'd be giving him hell until the day he died. But if Elena was happy, and that made Jenna happy, then he would be happy too.

Stefan drove towards Elena, slowing down as he approached. He rolled his window down. "I'll be back later" he said, waving to her.

"Okay" Elena said, smiling at him as she walked with her calf. "Can you pick me up some candy?" she asked. She knew Stefan liked to feel needed, so she figured she could give him something to do for her. "Gummy worms would be good."

Stefan nodded. "I can do that" he told her. "Can I ask you for a favor?" he asked her. Elena nodded. "Can you turn my horses out when they finish eating? They can all go into the pasture behind the arena."

"I can do that" she told him. He made it sound like he wouldn't be back all day and that kind of disappointed her.

"Thanks" he told her. He nodded as he moved his truck forward again, waving at her one last time.

Elena watched his truck disappear behind a cloud of dust as she continued walking.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan wasn't sure what he'd find when he walked into Katherine's house later that day. Her parents had told him to go on up to her room. She'd been in bed all day and they said she'd appreciate the company. Stefan wasn't so sure though.

Rebekah and Damon had been with Katherine the night before until Katherine's parents arrived back home. He wasn't worried about the support they would give her. Katherine's parents on the other hand were another story. Her mom and dad meant well, but their solution to every one of Katherine's problems was to throw money at it. And Stefan was pretty sure that Katherine sometimes just wanted someone to talk to.

As he finished climbing the stairs, he turned down the hall and walked towards her room. The entire upstairs was actually Katherine's. The first room he passed was her "study" room, which was more like a full-fledged office. Computers, printers and supplies. Katherine did all of her research on barrel racing and competition in there and probably little homework.

The second room he passed was filled with horse stuff. Saddles and ribbons Katherine had won. There were also photos of her and Daisy and a hundred others things related to that horse. Stefan quickly walked past that room and towards the room Katherine actually slept in. The large room at the end of the hall with the view of the horse pasture.

Katherine's door was shut and it was quiet. Stefan tapped on her door, but there was no answer. Did he really expect one? He turned her door handle and opened the door. His heart sank into his chest when he saw Katherine laying on her bed, on her side, facing the window that had the curtain drawn. Stefan shut the door quietly and walked over to her bed, sitting down by her feet. "Katherine" he said softly, waiting for an answer.

She didn't reply, but he could see her eyes staring ahead of her. Stefan placed his hand on her knee, and still, nothing. Stefan moved further onto her bed and lay right behind her. It was entirely too quiet and he hated it. Katherine was always so full of life, laughing or singing when they were together.

Slowly, Katherine turned around to face him. He could tell that she had been crying earlier. Stefan stared into her eyes, letting her know that he got it. He knew how she was feeling and how much she was hurting. "I'm sorry this happened" he whispered.

A single tear slid down her cheek as she listened to him. "The vet said it was an aortic rupture" she whispered sadly. "She was only six years old" she added as a few more tears fell.

He could tell she felt guilty, that she blamed herself. Stefan reached over and brushed them off of her face. "They don't know what causes those" he said, reminding her gently. "You did everything right" he said softly.

She let to a quiet sob as she felt her tears gearing up for another round. "I pushed her too hard" she said, thinking back to how hard she had worked Daisy.

Stefan shook his head no. "Daisy loved every minute of it. You had the vet out to see her once a month and everything looked fine. What happened … it was sudden. There's nothing we could have done differently" he said quietly. She was listening to him, even as she cried. She rarely listened to anyone. She was the most stubborn person he knew. "You wanna know somethin'?" he asked her. Katherine nodded slowly. "The way Daisy fell, it was to protect you. She didn't want to land on top of you and hurt you" he told her, feeling his own tears start up as he thought about Daisy. "She loved you so much" Stefan told her, wrapping his arms around Katherine and pulling her close.

Katherine wrapped her arms around Stefan too and continued to cry. "I miss her so much" she said quietly.

Stefan nodded. "I know you do. I do too" he told her. "But she's up there, waiting for you to find a new partner and start competing again" he said.

Katherine shook her head. "No. I'm done competing. I'm done riding" she told him. She didn't want to do it without Daisy.

"No you're not" he told her. Yes, she was upset and hurting. But she'd come around. He'd make sure of it. "Daisy wouldn't want that" he added. Katherine didn't say anything, so he continued. "I know everything feels horrible right now, but when you're ready, I want you to come over to the ranch. I've got someone I want you to meet" he told her.

Katherine pulled away from him and wiped at her tears. "I don't want another horse Stefan" she told him. That was the last thing she wanted right then.

"I know you don't right now. But when you're ready, drop on by" he told her. "We miss you 'round there anyway" he added. Katherine looked at him curiously, but she didn't say anything. "I know things go weird between us. But this is us. And I care about you and I don't want you to shut me out" he told her, sitting up on her bed. "So like I said, when you're ready, come over" he told her.

With that, he climbed off of her bed and let himself out of her room. When he closed the door behind him, he let out a long breath. That hadn't gone as terrible as he had pictured, though it had still been difficult. But at least she knew he cared. That was the most important thing to him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Two weeks had passed and although they all still brought up Daisy from time to time, it was more to remember her and less to grieve her. Elena was thankful for that, because seeing Stefan being sad was difficult. Especially when he was usually so happy about life.

And now that he was slowly getting back to his old self, he was giving her more responsibilities. Elena stood in the barn, staring at a wall filled with all sorts of leather bridles, halters and other straps.

Her hands were on her hips as she tapped her boot against the concrete flood of the barn. A note from Stefan asking her to do something horse related for him was not sufficient enough for her. She needed instructions. And conveniently, Stefan was not home. Neither was anyone else. Elena tried to think back on the last time they all left her home alone. The answer was never. For all they knew, she could have been getting into Ric's poorly hidden stash of liquor in the basement or Damon's even poorer hidden stash of cheap beer in his room.

But Elena wasn't interested. Lately, she hadn't wanted to drink. She had been so incredibly busy raising her calf and helping Stefan with the horses. Any down time was usually spent with Stefan too. It was kind of weird how easily she fit into his life. But she didn't mind it so much anymore.

Elena looked at Stefan's note that she was holding in her hand, trying to figure out if she was missing something. Why on earth did he think she would know what he meant? "What the fuck" Elena said, looking back to the wall of leather horse tack. It was a lost cause.

Elena turned her head and looked out of the barn when she heard someone pulling up. It was Katherine's deep blue truck. Elena sighed, realizing that she would have to deal with her since no one else was home. She had no idea why Katherine would be showing up, but the point was, she was there.

Katherine jumped down from her huge truck and shut the door. She was wearing her traditional blue jeans and t-shirt with the tan leather cowboy boots she often wore to school. Instead of her cowboy hat, she had on a ball cap sporting the name of the local feed store in town. Her hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail.

She was looking around until she noticed Elena come walking out of the barn. Katherine almost looked surprised to see Elena, but she quickly composed herself, squaring her small shoulders and looking directly at Elena. "I'm here to see Stefan" Katherine stated, making it perfectly clear to Elena what she was doing.

"He's not here, and I don't know when he will be back" Elena replied. Elena wanted to add that if they all had cellphones that worked, mishaps like these would not happen.

Katherine laughed bitterly to herself. "Of course he isn't" she said. She was obviously upset about it and Elena figured that it had taken a lot of effort for Katherine to leave her house and come to the ranch. On the outside, she looked okay. But Elena was willing to bet that Katherine was still a wreck under all that western wear. And Elena found herself empathizing with her. Losing someone you loved sucked. "Tell him I stopped by" she added, giving Elena a command before she turned around to walk back to her truck.

"Hey Katherine" Elena said awkwardly. What in the hell was she doing? She hated Katherine. "I'm sorry about Daisy" she found herself saying. And it sounded sincere.

Katherine's recognition of Daisy's death did not go unnoticed by Elena in that moment. For those few seconds, Elena wondered if Katherine would break down and cry, but she didn't. She stood up straighter and tipped her head lightly. "Thanks" she said uncomfortably. It was hard to not like someone who was being polite and sincere about a hardship you had faced.

Katherine reached for her truck door when she heard Elena call out to her again. "Look, Stefan left me this note and I have no idea what he's talking about" she said quickly, walking towards Katherine and holding the note out for her.

Katherine looked at Elena strangely for a moment, wondering what was going on. Elena was acting as if things were good between them and was even asking her for help like she was a friend. Still confused, Katherine took the note from Elena's hands and read through Stefan's horrible handwriting. "He wants you to oil the leathers on the wall above the grain bins" Katherine told her.

Elena nodded. "I know what he wants me to do. I just have no idea how to do it" Elena told her. "I've never oiled anything in my life" she admitted.

Katherine just stared at her for a moment before laughing at her. "God you city folk are a whole other breed, aren't ya?" she asked. She shook her head as she walked past Elena into the barn. Elena stood there for a moment, trying to decide if it was okay for Katherine to laugh at her or not. But laughing was better than crying she supposed.

When Elena made it back to the barn, Katherine had taken down every piece of leather on the wall and laid it out. She had grabbed rags and a bottle of what Elena assumed was leather oil. Then she sat on a bale of straw nearby and went to work. Elena awkwardly grabbed a rag and the bottle of oil and came to sit down next to Katherine. She sat there, unsure of what to do. "Just put a few dabs of oil on the cloth and rub it over the leather" Katherine instructed, taking pity on her. How did people everywhere else live? "You're looking more comfortable here in the country" Katherine mentioned after a minute or two.

Elena concentrated on the reins she had, but she did manage to answer Katherine. "I'm not exactly a city girl" Elena pointed out.

Katherine raised her perfect eyebrow at Elena. "What do you call yourself then?" Katherine asked.

Elena shrugged. "I'm from the suburbs. But I spent a lot of time in the city" she explained.

A silence passed over them, but Elena could tell that Katherine wanted to ask her something. Katherine turned towards her and kept her voice quiet. "Did you really steal a car and crash it into a store?" she asked.

Her eyes were filled with so much curiosity that it made Elena laugh. "What?" she asked. "Where did you hear that?" Elena asked.

Katherine shrugged. "Everyone talks 'round here" she said.

"Ah" Elena replied. "So what else are they saying about me?" Elena asked. On the ranch, no one ever said anything mean about her. And Stefan never asked her about her past in a judgmental way.

"That you've tried every drug invented" Katherine added. "Is it true?" Katherine asked. "I tried a cigarette once but it was really gross and Damon threatened to make me smoke the whole pack if he ever caught me doin' it again" she said quickly.

Elena really had to feel sorry for Katherine because she was so innocent. "My aunt thinks I was using drugs" Elena stated. "I smoked pot a few times, but it wasn't for me" Elena admitted. "Drinking was my biggest problem" she added.

Katherine grabbed for a new set of reins. "Do you like drinkin' like that?" Katherine asked.

Elena wondered just how much she wanted to tell Katherine. She didn't really know her, and she didn't really like her. "No" Elena answered honestly. "But when your parents die suddenly, it seems like a good idea to just numb yourself."

Katherine slowly stopped working on the reins she was holding and looked over at Elena. "I'm sorry" Katherine told her quietly. It had been insensitive of her.

Elena shrugged. "Don't be" Elena said, focusing on her set of reins. She knew she had done some pretty stupid things the past year.

Katherine could tell that Elena was done with the conversation. "So, you have a lot of designer clothes, right?" Katherine asked. "I mean, being a city girl and all" she added with a smirk.

Elena was thankful for the change in the subject. "Have you ever seen a pair of leather Prada boots?" Elena asked.

Katherine's eyes lit up. "In a magazine" she told her.

Elena set the reins down and stood up. "Come on" she said, motioning for Katherine to follow her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan's heart began to race when he saw Katherine's truck parked in his driveway. Elena was home and the two of them together was bound to be a disaster.

He checked the barn and didn't see anyone. Then he walked towards the house, thinking maybe Katherine was waiting in there. When he got inside, he could hear voices upstairs. He quietly climbed the stairs and saw Elena's bedroom door open. Elena was sitting on her bed, smiling and Katherine was standing in front of her, wearing a pair of really tall boots. And not cowboy boots either.

Both girls turned when they saw him approach. "What's uh … what's goin' on?" Stefan asked. His face showed his confusion. Why were they not pulling each other's hair out?

"Elena's showin' me her city girl clothes" Katherine smiled. "What do you think?" she asked, walking towards Stefan. She tripped and fell forward, thankful that Stefan had caught her.

"I think you'd best stick with your cowboy boots" Stefan told her, setting her back up right.

Katherine just laughed. "So I can borrow all of these?" Katherine asked, turning back to Elena and pointing to the pile she had made on Elena's bed. It wasn't like Katherine couldn't afford those kinds of clothes. She just never had any interest in buying them when her money could be spent on jeans and saddles.

"Go for it" Elena said. She looked up at Stefan who still had his "what in the hell is happening here" look going on. Elena just shrugged. She and Katherine were bonding. And it was going really well. Katherine wasn't half bad, actually.

"When you're done doin' your girl stuff, you wanna meet me at the barn?" he asked Katherine.

She grinned. "My girl stuff?" she asked. "Just because you watched me run around barefoot with no makeup all these years don't mean I don't have a girly side" she told him. Katherine picked up the clothes she had picked out and kicked the boots off. "I think I had better say no to the boots" she added, walking past Stefan.

When Katherine was out of sight, Stefan smiled. "She looks happy" he said. "And you two aren't killin' each other" he added.

"She should be happy. She's carrying thousands of dollars worth of clothes right now" Elena grinned. "And we aren't killing each other because we get each other now" she told him.

"You're fixin' to tell me after only a few hours, you two are friends?" he asked.

Elena stood up and stopped right in front of him. "Amazing what clothes can do to two people, huh?" she asked.

Stefan laughed softly. "I suppose so" he told her. Elena moved around him, intent on going back downstairs. Stefan grabbed her elbow though and stopped her. "I am borrowin' a nursin' cow from a buddy of mine. Her calf died, but I thought she might nurse your calf. That way you don't gotta get up throughout the night" he told her.

"Thanks" Elena told him. "It will be nice to sleep through the night" she smiled, walking off.

Stefan went back outside and found Katherine standing on the fender of his trailer, looking in. "A cow?" she asked.

Stefan nodded as he walked by and opened the back of the trailer. He untied the cow and carefully led her out. "We have an abandoned calf in the barn" he explained, walking with Katherine back to the barn.

Once he got the cow situated in the stall, he turned his attention back to Katherine. "I'm glad you came over" Stefan told her. "I want to show you somethin'" he added, grabbing her hand and leading her toward the back of the barn. Stefan gave a whistle and a pretty strawberry roan horse put her head over the stall door and gave a soft nicker. "This is Hannah" Stefan said, introducing Katherine to the horse.

Katherine stopped. "I told you Stefan, I don't want another horse" she reminded him.

"She's three" Stefan began, ignoring Katherine. "I rescued her off of a feedlot up north. I've got her patterned around the barrels and she's fast. She's still learnin' and she'll grow a little more" he added.

"No Stefan" she told him, crossing her arms.

Stefan placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned in close to her. "I want you to have her. She needs her own person, and I know for a fact that you would be perfect for her" he told Katherine. "I know you're still hurtin'. But I also know that Daisy would want this" he told her.

Katherine scoffed. "And how do you know that?" she challenged.

Stefan smiled. "She told me" he said. "We talked and stuff" he added.

It got Katherine to smile though. "You're ridiculous" she told him, looking at the horse. "I just don't know that I'm ready" she sighed. Daisy had only been gone two weeks.

"Here" he said, taking her hand and slowly approaching Hannah. Katherine reluctantly pet the horse before her. "She likes you" Stefan concluded.

Katherine smiled at him. "She's pretty" she mentioned. "Gentle eyes" she added, tilting her head and studying the young horse. "I'll have to think about it. And I should be going" she told him.

"Okay" Stefan said, nodding his understanding. He walked out with her, opening her truck door for her like the gentleman he was. "So you'll be by tomorrow to take her for a spin?" Stefan asked as Katherine climbed into her truck.

"Wow, subtle much?" she asked him. "I said I'd think about it Stefan" she said, shutting her door.

"See you tomorrow!" Stefan called out as she backed up some and then turned her truck around to head back home. He waved to her as he watched her. Then he sighed. He knew he was pushing Katherine. He also knew that the longer she went without riding, the greater chance there would be for her to stop riding altogether.

Stefan wandered back into the barn to check on the cow he had brought home for the calf. The calf was nursing and the cow seemed to be content. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn't. But he was glad it had in this case. "Should I feel replaced?" Elena asked, walking into the barn. She stopped next to Stefan and watched.

Stefan smiled. "Nah. This is just temporary. Until she can eat grass" Stefan told her.

"It was really nice of you to do this" Elena said, looking up at him.

He just shrugged, like it was no big deal. "I figured you could use a break. You've been doin' such a good job takin' care of her" he told Elena. They were quiet for a few minutes, just watching the cow and calf in the stall. "Thank you, for what you did for Katherine today. She's been pretty down the past few weeks. I haven't seen her smile until today" Stefan said.

Elena took a turn to shrug, like it was no big deal. "I didn't do anything really" she said.

Stefan disagreed though. "Yeah, you did" he told her. Elena looked up at him, after hearing how serious he sounded. "It means a lot to me. I know you and Katherine don't exactly get along, and I'm willin' to bet it wasn't Katherine who reached out today when she came over" Stefan said.

That was true. Elena had been the one to reach out. "She's not so bad I guess" Elena said. They had talked a lot about different things, ranging from clothes to school to traveling. Elena almost forgot what it was like to have a friend like that. "I know what it feels like" she added. To lose someone she loved.

Stefan smiled. "Look at you bein' all compassionate and empathetic" Stefan said, lightly teasing her.

Elena rolled her eyes. "I'm not compassionate or empathetic" she replied. She had had a weak moment where she had reached out to Katherine. "I'm going to take a shower" she told him.

Stefan grabbed her hand before she could walk off. Before Elena knew it, he was pulling her close and leaning down to kiss her. She grabbed his t-shirt to steady herself, finding that she was leaning into him anyway. She loved those moments where he took charge and just kissed her. She wished he would do that more. "You are compassionate and empathetic" he whispered, having leaned back slightly. "You just like to make people think otherwise" he reminded her.

Elena still had a death grip on his shirt as her eyes focused on his lips right in front of her. "What are you, a therapist now?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head no. "I've been watchin' you. Studyin' you. You don't fool me, Elena. I know you're a genuine, loving girl under that rough and tough façade you put on" he told her. He had seen it. Glimpses of it.

She didn't quite know what to say to that. And maybe she didn't even care that he had her so figured out. "Are you done?" she asked him. She had things to do, that did not include him psychoanalyzing her.

Stefan stepped forward, grabbing her face and moving in to kiss her again. Elena stepped back, hitting the stall door as he came to stand against her, pinning her between the door and him. She wasn't sure if it was the fact that they were in a barn that had her so turned on, or the fact that it was him doing this to her that was driving her crazy. Maybe a little bit of both. She wanted more, and she was pretty damn sure he wanted more too. She was about to say something, but a horn honking made her lose her confidence. And it had done the same to him too apparently because he had jumped back away from her.

They both were breathing heavily, and anyone who had walked in right then would have known they were up to something. "Let's go for a trail ride tomorrow night. I want to show you something'he told her quietly. They could both hear footsteps coming towards the barn.

Elena nodded and Stefan turned to leave. She leaned back against the stall door, her hand over her heart trying to calm her breathing. She smiled at the thought of what Stefan wanted to show her. And the fact that it would be at night had all sorts of things running through her head.

**A/N: Stefan. I just love him.**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Not sure what you all will think about this update, but here it is. I had always planned to write this : )**

**Thanks for keeping on me to update!**

"Hey" Elena said, hopping up on the back of Stefan's tailgate to sit as she watched him fixing something right next to her. She was feeling pretty good at the moment and had been since she woke up. It might have had something to do with the kiss they had shared the night before. It might have also had something to do with the upcoming trail ride later that day.

Stefan smiled under his cowboy hat. "Hey yourself" he said, continuing to tinker with some piece of ranch equipment next to her. "Weighed your calf today. She's gained a good amount of weight" he said, making small talk.

"That's good, right?" Elena asked. Stefan nodded. They were quiet for a moment as she thought about a question to ask. "Stefan, what do people do with cows … you know … that they don't eat?" she asked curiously. Because her cow would be one of those.

"Sell 'em to people who will" Damon answered, walking out of the barn with his horse.

Stefan glared at him. "Keep 'em in a pasture to live a long life" Stefan said, looking up under his hat and smiling at Elena again. She smiled back. That was reassuring.

"Ridiculous" Damon muttered as he walked by. "Stefan, somethin' is wrong with this horse" he said, turning the horse around and coming to stand near them.

"You sure it's the horse?" Stefan asked. Damon was known to be impatient and impulsive and some horses didn't respond well to that. Most didn't.

Damon scoffed. "Ain't nothin' wrong with me Brother" Damon assured him. "He's rushin' the barrier" he informed.

Stefan grabbed the piece of equipment he had been fixing and went to put it away. When he came back out, he had to smile at Elena petting Damon's horse. The girl hadn't wanted to touch a horse when she first arrived. Now she seemed pretty fond of them. "I'll take a look at him" Stefan said. Like he didn't have enough work to do with his own horses.

Damon grinned. "Thanks, Brother" he said, handing the lead rope to Stefan, indicating that the horse was his problem now. "Later" he said, winking at Elena.

Stefan sighed, patting the horse's neck. "Not your fault" Stefan told the horse.

Elena knew Stefan was really busy, so she almost regretted asking anything from him. "Would you have time to take me to the store today?" she asked him. She needed a few things. Deodorant, soap and more sugar so she could make tea. All things she could pick up at the local drug store.

Stefan reached into his back pocket, grabbed out a key on a single keychain and tossed it to her. She caught the key and looked at him surprised. "Keep it under 70" he told her with a playful smile.

Elena's jaw dropped. "You're seriously going to let me drive your truck? By myself?" she asked him.

Stefan shrugged. "I got insurance" he grinned, dodging her foot that tried to kick him. Then he laughed. "I trust you. Drive safe" he told her, taking the horse and leading him to one of the empty paddocks nearby.

Elena looked down at the key in her hand and smiled. He trusted her. No one had told her that in what felt like a long time. She jumped off of the tailgate, put it up and hurried to the driver's door, thinking he might change his mind.

Driving down a back road with no other cars in sight was strange, but Elena welcomed it. She had the window down and the radio up, enjoying the beautiful day outside. To her right, cows grazed in an open pasture. To her left, tractors were moving across the field. As much as she hated this scenery a month or so ago, she couldn't help but smile at how great it felt to be there.

It was scary to admit it, but she was starting to feel like her old self again.

And Stefan liked her old self. That thought alone made her smile. It had been a long time since a boy liked her for who she was.

Elena pulled into a parking spot and turned his truck off. She had enough cash in her pocket to buy the things she needed. Thankfully, she wasn't going to run into the problem of straying from her shopping list and buying more than she needed. The place didn't have anything else she wanted. She grabbed a shopping basket and wandered around, finding the sugar first. She had started making a sweet tea that everyone back at the ranch had really taken a liking to. Especially Stefan. It was a recipe from her mom, one that she would have a memory of forever.

The deodorant and soap were a few aisles down and she was at the counter prepared to pay for her items before she knew it. It seemed like such a waste to just go into town for a few items though. Maybe she would grab some lunch too.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan looked up when he saw Elena coming back down the driveway. He was kind of surprised that she was back so soon. With free reign of his truck, he hadn't expected her back for at least a few hours.

The dust settled as she came to a stop. The door flung open and she jumped out, her boots hitting the dirt with a thud. "I'm back!" she announced, overly happy to see him after the short time apart.

"Get what you needed?" Stefan asked, running a brush over the horse he had tied next to him.

Elena nodded. "Yep" she answered, walking his way with a white paper sack. "I brought you back lunch" she added just as cheerfully, handing him the burger and fries she had picked up. She held her own bag in her other hand.

Stefan looked at the bag and then at her, surprised by her gesture. What was with her today? "Thanks" he told her, taking the food from her. He walked over to his truck, set the tailgate down and set the bag on top of it. "Have a seat. I'll just put her away" he said, walking back to untie Hannah and take her back to the barn.

Elena hopped up on the back of the truck and waited patiently for him to come back. She took her burger out of the bag and examined it. "This is the biggest burger I have ever seen" Elena said as Stefan walked back her way.

Stefan jumped up on the tailgate and joined her, grabbing his own burger. "Best in town" Stefan smiled. They both took a bite, staying silent for a moment as they tried their food. "You seem … really … happy today" Stefan said cautiously. He didn't want to say anything that would change that. But it was an observation of his.

Elena put her burger down and he was pretty sure he shouldn't have said anything. "I feel really good today" Elena told him, surprising both him and herself. "Today is a good day" she decided with a smile.

Stefan smiled again. "I'm glad to hear that" he told her. She was such a beautiful girl when she was happy. When she smiled. He loved it and probably could never get enough of it.

Elena grabbed her fries out of the bag, then looked over at him. "How is your day going?" she asked. She wasn't totally uncomfortable asking him that, but it was different for her.

"Pretty good. Better now that you brought back food" he said, smiling as he grabbed for his own fries.

Elena was glad that Stefan had answered her question, rather than questioning her about why she had asked it. "Well I was starving and I thought this sounded good" she told him. She was glad that he agreed. She looked over and noticed Stefan's fries though. "Your fries are more crinkly than mine" she observed.

Stefan picked one up and popped it in his mouth. Then he looked at her and smiled. "Tasty too" he told her, rubbing it in that he had better fries than her.

Elena opened her mouth slightly, shocked that he, Mr. Gentleman Stefan Salvatore, would rub it in her face like that. "Trade me" she told him, holding out her fries for him to take.

Stefan laughed. "No way" he told her, moving his fries out of her reach.

He ate another one, and Elena couldn't help but smile, laughing even. "You're horrible!" she accused him. Yes, she would admit it. She had a particular liking for crinkly, crunchy fries.

Stefan just shook his head, smiling. He had no real attachment to the fries, but giving her a hard time was … fun. He liked teasing her, and loved hearing her laugh. "Here" he said, holding out the fries for her to have.

"How chivalrous of you" she told him. She took the fries though, and gave him hers.

Stefan tried one of her fries and made a face. "These are limp" he announced.

"I know" she reminded him. "Here, we can share" she said, smiling when she felt his hand brush against hers as he took one.

"Thanks" he told her, leaning towards her and sneaking a quick kiss on her lips. It had caught her by surprise, but it was a good surprise. "I have to get back to work" he told her, jumping down off of his truck. "Thanks again for lunch" he added, giving her one last charming smile before disappearing back into the barn.

Elena caught herself smiling, and immediately tried to stop. But she couldn't. Did she have the absolute biggest crush on Stefan or what?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan stood just inside the barn a few hours later, having come back from checking on the cows to find Katherine's truck parked in the driveway. He was starting to thinks she wouldn't show, but there she was, standing in front of Hannah's stall, petting the horse and studying her.  
"Imagine losin' Red" she spoke softly. She didn't look at him, but she knew he was standing there.

Stefan listened to her quietly, thinking about what she had said. "I'd be devastated" he answered. Red was his best friend in so many ways. They had been through a lot together. Stefan had raised him, trained him. Red taught him everything he knew.

"But you'd go on with your life" she said, already knowing that is exactly what he would do.

"Because I love horses and I couldn't imagine my life without them in it" he added, slowly walking into the barn.

Katherine sighed. "I don't know, Stefan" she said, pulling out a carrot from her back pocket. She broke it into three equal pieces and fed them to Hannah.

"Ride her in the arena for a little bit" Stefan encouraged. "If it doesn't feel right, I won't keep buggin' you 'bout it" he promised.

Katherine sighed again. "She's broke?" Katherine asked.

Stefan nodded. "Yep" he answered.

"She buck?" Katherine asked.

"Yep" Stefan answered.

When Katherine turned to look at him, he was grinning. She rolled her eyes and grabbed for Hannah's lead rope. "You ever gonna give me a well behaved horse?" she asked him, walking into the stall and slipping the halter on the horse.

"Nope" Stefan answered, still grinning as he held the door open for her. He watched Katherine lead Hannah out of the barn and to the arena. Then he followed her out, propping himself up on the fence to watch.

"Hey" Elena said, coming up behind him. Stefan offered her his hand to help her climb up to sit next to him. It was clear to her that Katherine was going to ride Hannah, but Elena couldn't see a saddle or bridle anywhere in sight. Elena watched in pure amazement as Katherine jumped up on the back of the horse, swinging her legs over. With just the halter and lead rope on. "Oh my God" Elena said, looking up at Stefan. "What's she doing?" she asked.

"Ridin' her new horse" Stefan answered with a smile.

"She's not using a saddle. Or a bridle" Elena said. Who in their right mind rode without all that?

"She don't need it" Stefan assured her. Katherine was an amazing rider. Her balance and her ability to read a horse's movements were incredible. They both watched as Katherine got the horse to trot around the arena. Never once did she look like she was going to fall off.

"That's amazing" Elena said, unable to look away. Crazy, but amazing.

Katherine asked the horse for a lope and as soon as she did, the horse started to buck, just like Stefan knew she would. Katherine didn't seem fazed by it though. She only made the horse move faster, which Elena thought was crazy. Her ass would have been off that horse so fast had it started bucking. Hannah stopped her sassy attitude though once she realized Katherine wasn't going to have any of it. "There you go Katherine!" Stefan called out.

"Why did Katherine make Hannah go faster when she started bucking?" Elena asked. Because it just didn't make sense to her.

"When a horse offers to buck, you wanna keep him movin' forward, because it makes it harder for him to continue. It also shows him you are in charge and he needs to listen" he explained.

"Interesting" Elena said, turning her attention back to Katherine who went around the arena a few more times.

Katherine eventually stopped just in front of Stefan and Elena and asked the horse to back a few steps, which she did willingly. "She's got spunk" Katherine noted, patting the horse's neck. "Wanna take her for a spin, Elena?" Katherine asked with a smile.

Elena shook her head no immediately. "Hell no" Elena answered. "Your ass is crazy riding that wild thing" she added.

Stefan and Katherine both laughed. "She's just young. She'll shape up to be a nice barrel pony with some work" Stefan announced. "Right Katherine?" he asked, eyeing her carefully.

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Fine, Stefan. I'll take her" she groaned, realizing that Stefan had in fact won the battle. "For now" she added, turning the horse and trotting off in the opposite direction.

Stefan looked all too happy to have gotten Katherine to take the horse. Elena wondered if she should have been jealous, or lucky to know such a generous guy.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan hadn't mentioned the trail ride all day and by the time dinner was over and they went upstairs, she was positive it wasn't going to happen. And she was disappointed. She didn't know what was going to happen on the trail ride, but her mind was allowed to dream. If nothing else, it was more time she got to spend with Stefan.

Elena slipped out of her clothes for the day, grabbing a pair of flannel shorts and a t-shirt to sleep in. It tended to get warm in her room at night, but she couldn't leave the window open because bugs would get in. Damon had even told her at dinner one night that a raccoon had come through his window and destroyed his room.

She shuddered at the thought of a wild animal coming into her space like that. Hell, she shuddered at the thought of Damon. He was a nuisance and she wondered what Rebekah saw in him. And Elena didn't particularly like the way Damon treated Stefan either.

Elena sat down on her bed and looked at her closed bathroom door, wondering if Stefan was going to use the bathroom first. She couldn't hear him, so she got up finally and got in there first, washing her face and brushing her teeth.

His side of the door was closed and there was no light that she could see under the door. He must have gone straight to bed.

Elena tried not to let it bother her that they didn't go on a trail ride. If she had really wanted to go, she should have spoken up and asked him. Stefan probably would have made time to take her. She sighed, knowing there was nothing she could do about it now. Elena switched the light off and went back to her bed.

It took her about an hour to fall asleep, which was normal for her. Her thoughts needed time to calm down, which they did eventually. She hugged one of her pillows close to her, liking the added comfort. Then she was sound asleep.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena slowly awoke to the gentle shaking of her shoulder. She turned over and could see Stefan sitting on her bed, looking down at her. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was only midnight. With the moonlight coming into her room, she could tell he was smiling at her. "Put your jeans on" he said quietly.

"What?" she asked groggily. "Stefan, its midnight. Go back to bed" she said, pushing his hand off of her.

Stefan continued to smile as he leaned down towards her. "I owe you a trail ride" he whispered, hoping that would get her up and going.

Elena turned back towards him. "Right now?" she asked. Surely by this point, she could wait until morning.

"Yeah" he told her.

Elena wanted to tell him no, but the thought of sneaking out again with him was exciting. "Okay" she said quietly.

"Okay?" he asked, thinking she would turn him down.

"Yeah" she smiled, sitting up slowly. She looked into his eyes and noticed how he was staring at her. "What?" she asked.

He leaned in and kissed her, pressing his lips to hers gently. If only he had done that sooner, she definitely would not have complained about being woken up. When his lips left hers, he was still looking at her like he wanted something more. "Nothin'" he answered. "Get you jeans on" he said, repeating his request before getting off of her bed and leaving her room.

Elena hurried out of her bed, grabbing the first clean pair of jeans she could find in the dark. Slipping them on, she grabbed a bra and slipped that on as well, finding another t-shirt she liked better than the one she was sleeping in. She popped into the bathroom quickly to check her hair and redo her ponytail.

Stefan was waiting by her door to walk down with her. He held his finger to his lips, telling her that they had to be quiet. Ric was a light sleeper.

They made it down to the last two steps when Elena felt herself being pushed against the wall. Her heart rate sped up and she quite honestly found him to be sexy in that moment, taking initiative. Then she realized that Ric was coming.

Stefan leaned against her, his head resting next to hers as they remained absolutely still in the darkness. Ric walked by them, shuffling his feet across the floor as he walked into the kitchen. They heard the refrigerator door open, then close. Something was being poured into a glass.

Elena had a sudden urge to giggle. There was something funny about hiding from someone who had walked right by you and who had no idea you were there. Stefan's hand went over her mouth, hearing her start to laugh. This only made her want to laugh more. "Shhh" he whispered, though he was starting to find the situation funny too.

When Ric finally walked back by them, Elena was about ready to die from holding it all in. Ric's door shut and Elena felt herself being carried out of the house with his hand still over her mouth. He set her down when they were near the barn and she fell into a fit of laughter. "Oh my God!" she laughed. "How did he not see us?" she asked.

Stefan had to laugh at her. "You almost got us busted" he said, pointing his finger at her.

Elena grabbed his finger and pointed it back at him. "And I would have blamed you" she told him.

"And like the gentleman I am, I would have taken the blame" he told her.

Elena let go of his hand and smiled. "Good to know" she said, grinning. She turned around to find Red and Stefan's roping horse all saddled and ready to go. "Are we going to the river?" she asked.

"Nope" Stefan said, grabbing his horse and stepping into the stirrup. He waited for Elena to climb up into the saddle before he walked out of the barn with her following. "Someplace new" he said.

"Someplace new like where?" Elena prodded, wanting to know.

"Ain't sayin'" he said, smiling as he looked over at her. "Come on. Let's pick it up" he said, taking off ahead of her.

Elena just grinned, kicking Red and getting him to catch up.

They had been riding for over half an hour, and in that time, they talked about everything except where he was taking her. They had gone through some woods, which had made Elena nervous since it was so dark out. "Have you ever seen The Walking Dead?" Elena asked him, figuring now was as good of a time as any to share with him her concerns about riding this late at night, out in the middle of nowhere.

"I don't watch many movies" Stefan told her. He probably hadn't seen one in over a year now that he thought about it.

"T.V. show" she corrected him. "Anyways, when people die, they become zombies and they walk around in fields and woods and eat you" she explained. Stefan looked over at her with a horrified look. "It really is a good show though" she promised.

"I wouldn't be able to sleep at night" Stefan said, finding his eyes now wandering across the field they were walking through.

"What's the scariest thing you have ever seen riding out here?" Elena asked.

Stefan had to think about that for a moment. "I've seen lots of bears and wild cats out here" he said. But those weren't scary. "Probably the scariest thing I've seen was my brother dressed up as Bigfoot, runnin' towards me" he told her.

Elena laughed. "How did you know it was Damon?" Elena asked.

Stefan let out a chuckle. "He had a beer in one hand and was yellin' my name" he answered. Damon had been drunk. "Classic Damon" he pointed out. "What about you? What's the scariest thing you've seen out and about?" he asked her.

"Bats" she replied without hesitation. She looked over when she heard him laugh.

She was his city girl to a fault. "You afraid you'd get bit and turn into Batman?" he asked her.

Elena leaned over and whacked his arm with her hand. "Don't laugh. Those things carry diseases. And they were swooping down on us" she informed him.

He wasn't about to tell her that he had seen at least four bats on the trail ride so far. "Sorry. I shouldn't have laughed. If a whole swarm of 'em came down and ate you alive, I'd feel bad" he told her, cracking a smile at his teasing.

She huffed, but couldn't help but break out into a smile eventually. "Keep teasing Cowboy" she warned as he continued to laugh at her. A moment or two passed by when she finally sighed. "Damn Stefan, are we almost there?" she asked. She was getting tired.

"A few more minutes" he told her as they continued to walk. It truly was way the hell out in the middle of nowhere, and that's why he loved this place.

A few more minutes passed and as they came down a hill, Elena saw it. A building of some sort. "What is that?" Elena asked him.

"A house" he told her. "Well, sort of. It needs a lot of work and I've slowly been remodelin' it" he explained, stopping his horse and getting off. Elena did the same and when Stefan put the horses in a small paddock off the side of the house, she noticed him carrying back a bag and holding a flashlight. "Come on" he told her, taking her hand and leading her inside.

The house itself was small, but it was spacious. She could tell where he had replaced boards and where he had stopped painting. "This is awesome" she told him, spinning around as she looked. "Is it yours?" she asked.

"Yeah" Stefan answered. "Damon and Ric know 'bout it but haven't been out here in years. I figure when I graduate, I can live here for a little while until I get my own property" he told her.

Elena looked at him curiously. "But the ranch is yours" she mentioned. Why wouldn't he live there?

Stefan shook his head though. "The ranch is Ric's. He's been runnin' it for so long that it wouldn't be right askin' him to leave" he said. "Besides, I'd love to have somethin' of my own. To start fresh" he clarified. "But this place will do for now" he told her.

"When do you find time to work on it?" Elena asked.

"I did most of it last winter to make sure it survived the weather" he answered. "I'd like to get some more done before school starts back up."

"I could help" Elena offered. She wasn't much with a hammer and a nail, but she liked painting.

"Yeah?" he asked her. "That would be great" he told her. "Come on. I'll show you the loft" he said, tugging on her hand and taking her up the creaky stairs.

Elena let Stefan guide her with what little light the flashlight was giving them. Aside from the occasional cobweb, the house seemed fairly clean for not being lived in. When they reached the loft, Stefan lit a match and then lit a lantern sitting on an old dresser. It did a great job lighting up the area and Elena really got a good look at the place. The first thing she noticed was a bed. Well, it wasn't exactly a bed. It was a mattress with sheets and blankets and a pillow. "You have a bed up here" Elena pointed out. "Something you have planned for us?" she asked, eyeing him carefully.

Stefan's face turned red, at least, she thought it did with the light she had to see him with. He shook his head no quickly, his hands beginning to fidget with the package of matches he was still holding. "I … I … sometimes … I sleep here" he said quickly, stuttering over his words slightly. It was true though. Sometimes when he needed some time to himself, he would sneak out to this old place and sleep overnight, making is way back home before the sun came up.

Elena laughed, seeing how petrified he looked that she had suggested he had the bed all laid out for the two of them. "Relax Stefan" she told him. She turned away from him and looked over the rest of the loft. There were a few books on a shelf, covered in dust. The place definitely needed a little sprucing up. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to do" she added, walking towards the shelf and running her finger along a book, reading the title.

"What … what if I wanted to though?" he asked, catching her off guard as she whipped around to see him standing exactly where she had left him.

"What?" she asked, not sure if she had heard him right. Or if she had understood him correctly. "You want to have sex tonight?" she asked, allowing the surprise to leave her voice as she worked towards teasing him again. "You do realize you're going to have to see me naked, right?" she asked, further teasing him. He had always been so shy anytime she hadn't worn much clothing.

He knew she was teasing him, and it kind of made him feel uncomfortable. She clearly was the more experienced one. He hadn't promised himself that he would wait until he was married. But he definitely knew he needed to have real feelings for any girl he slept with. "Yes. I would like to sleep with you tonight" he said, his eyes looking serious. There was just something about Elena that made him curious. On top of the fact that his hormones had been driving him crazy lately. "Only if you want to though" he added carefully.

Elena's teasing smile slowly disappeared. "You're serious, aren't you" she told him. She honestly never really thought that he would go all the way with her, him being traditional and all.

Stefan nodded his head slowly. "I know it's not all that romantic …" he trailed off, looking around the place he had brought her to.

Elena shrugged. "An old abandoned house in the middle of nowhere, at night, with a lantern?" she mentioned. "Kinda romantic" she said, giving him a small smile.

He looked relieved, even though he was nervous as hell. "I'm just … a little nervous about it" he told her, expressing his feelings. "I know, I'm a sissy" he added. What guy told the girl he was about to sleep with that he was nervous?

"What, no" Elena told him, walking to him and grabbing his hands. "I think it's sweet how nervous you are" she assured him. "I'll stop teasing, I promise" she added. "You're different than all the other guys I know" she said quietly, looking up into his eyes.

"Is that good or bad?" he asked with a small smile.

Elena laughed. "Definitely good" she told him, leaning forward to kiss him. She must have stunned his already nervous system, because he didn't kiss her back. She ended the kiss but kept her lips near his. "Did you bring protection?" she asked quietly. Because nothing was happening without any of that.

Stefan nodded slowly. "Yeah" he said, barely above a whisper. His voice was failing him. He hoped a certain other part of him wouldn't fail him.

Elena smiled, grabbing the bag out of his hand and stepping back. "What else did you bring?" she asked, beginning to pull items out. The first few items she grabbed where candles which she set on the dresser. He seemed embarrassed for her finding those, but he had wanted to make their time together a little more romantic.

But he was mortified when she found the condoms, pulling them out. She laughed because he looked like the floor could open up and swallow him up. "Where did you get all these?" she asked. There must have been ten in there, and she really hoped he didn't think they were going to use all of them that night.

If he could have died, he would have. "Damon gave them to me" he mumbled. Damon always gave them to him, making fun of him for not getting "laid" as his brother liked to call it. And since Stefan never used any of them, he had quite the drawer full, stashed away.

"What a good brother" Elena smiled, setting the bag down and grabbing Stefan's hand. Slowly, she led him towards the bed, dropping the condoms on the floor next to it. She turned back around and wrapped her arms around Stefan boldly and looked up at him. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked him. He still seemed so nervous.

"Yes" he told her, sighing. "I just don't want to … you know, disappoint you" he said. That was a very realistic fear of his.

For the first time, Elena realized how worried he was about his inexperience. She felt bad for all the teasing she had done. Elena smiled, thinking how great it felt to be standing in front of a guy who was so worried about her needs. "Don't worry" she said quietly. "You won't disappoint me" she assured him. When he didn't look so convinced, she reached up and kissed him again. She reached down and grabbed his hands, placing them on her waist, giving him a little encouragement. That's all he needed. Elena felt his mouth come to life as he took control of the kiss, his tongue finding its way past her lips in what she was sure was the sexiest thing he had ever done with her. Or to her.

Minutes of kissing had left her breathless, so much so that she had to pull away from him and wondered how in the hell he had been able to do that for so long. She smiled, looking up at him. "Sit down" she instructed, having no issue telling him what to do.

He froze for a moment, not entirely used to a girl bossing him around in this kind of a context. But he did so, moving past her and sitting down on the mattress. He watched in anticipation as Elena walked towards him, her legs stepping over him as she lowered herself onto his lap, straddling and facing him. He nervously reached his hands up, and then confidently placed them on her waist again. He still seemed a little lost though, like he knew what he wanted to do but wasn't sure if he was allowed to do it. She leaned in towards him, her lips resting near his ear. "Stop thinking, and just do it" she whispered.

He nodded, feeling his heartbeat pick up from having Elena that close. Slowly, his hands slid under her shirt, touching her soft skin. "Can you lift your arms up?" he asked shyly.

Elena smiled, thinking he was absolutely adorable, asking her like that. She did lift her arms up for him though and watched as his hands slowly slid up her torso, past her breasts and over her shoulders. Once he had the shirt off, he set it down next to them, his eyes coming into contact with her bra. He had seen her in her bra before, but this was so much different. His eyes met hers again and he couldn't help but smile. This was going to be the best night of his life. Stefan reached his hands up and touched her face softly, then leaned forward and kissed her lips.

Elena was blown away by the sweet gesture. Here she was in her bra, right in front of his face and he had chosen to kiss her lips rather than get her bra off and dive right on in.

Before she had too much time to think about it, she felt his hands back on her waist and then herself being moved sideways, eventually finding herself laying on her back with him above her. He pulled his lips away from hers as he looked down at her, completely lost in her. She reached up and grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling on it. He got the hint and took over, peeling it off of him.

Elena's eyes were glued to his chest. There was no way that that chiseled chest was real, or that perfect v shape that disappeared under his jeans.

Stefan kept with the theme of the moment, reaching down and grabbing for the button on her jeans, flicking it open. Elena watched him as he focused intently on lowering the zipper on her pants, like he was about to uncover something pretty amazing. When he was done, she lifted her hips up off of the mattress to make it easier for him to pull her jeans off. They too landed in a neat pile next to them. She felt his hands on the back of her left calf, sliding their way down until he grabbed onto her cowboy boot, working it loose and off of her foot before tossing it aside. He did the same to her right.

Elena reached out for the button on his jeans and he quickly grabbed her hands, stilling them. It was more of a reflex than anything. But he remembered that she was going to be touching a lot more of him than just the button and zipper on his pants. "Sorry" he apologized, letting go of her hands. He took a deep breath and let her continue. Her hands slowly worked his jeans down over his hips before he took over and kicked them off. His boots followed.

"Come here" Elena smiled, grabbing onto his biceps and inviting him closer. She leaned back down, and his body followed. He was using a lot of caution, barely putting any weight on her as he moved in to kiss her again. She laughed, turning her head away from him. He looked down at her, worried that he was doing something wrong. "Don't hover" she told him. "I want to feel you close to me" she added.

"Oh" he said, smiling. That was an easy fix. Slowly, Stefan allowed his body to lower onto hers, feeling his hips rest against hers. "Better?" he asked.

Elena brought her arms around his back, feeling the taught muscles that were a sure sign of all the manual labor he did on the ranch. "Much" she told him, feeling his slowly rest against her neck, kissing her there. Elena closed her eyes and sighed. "Keep doing that" she told him, loving the feel of his body on top of hers and his lips on her neck. He might have been nervous, but he was such a good kisser.

Stefan continued as requested, but he was starting to wonder how long they needed to do this before they got naked the rest of the way. Not that he was looking to rush things, but he was starting to get a little … uncomfortable in his briefs.

Elena wasn't oblivious to this. She could definitely feel something against her hip, and it wasn't his leg.

She was going to have sex with Stefan. The sweet little farm boy who was willing to give up his virginity for her.

Suddenly, it hit her. How real this all was. They were half naked, with him on top of her. Elena could feel his hands on her hips, his fingers grabbing the thin material of her underwear as he thought about pulling them down off of her. He wasn't working them down her legs quite yet, but she could tell he was thinking about it. And he should have been. She had invited him to have sex with her, and any second thought on her part was not going to be fair to him.

So she just needed to suck it up and accept that fact that they were going to do it. Elena felt his lips move down, paying loving attention to her shoulder and then the top of her breast. He was taking his time, which was true to his nature. "Elena?" he asked against her skin. "Can I finish undressing you?" he asked, hoping to God that she would give him permission. He had never seen a woman completely naked before. At least, not a woman in front of him.

Elena's mind was racing as she felt his fingers grip the material on her hips. He wanted to finish undressing her. He wanted her naked. "Stefan wait" she said, confusing him when she sat up suddenly, pushing on his shoulders so he would follow. She felt horrible. Absolutely horrible.

"What's wrong?" he asked. She was looking everywhere but at him, and he was scared that he had really done something wrong. She looked uncomfortable. Hell, she looked like she wanted to run out of that house.

"I can't do this" she told him. "Stefan, I'm so sorry" she said, covering her face with her hands.

Stefan grabbed her hands, peeling them away from her face. "Hey" he said, trying to get her to look at him.

"I know you really were looking forward to this. I shouldn't have led you on" she told him, still beating herself up about it.

Stefan reached up and placed his hand on her cheek, seeing her starting to cry. Good Lord he was confused. "Don't be sorry" he told her softly. "But can I ask, what changed your mind so suddenly?" he asked her. He just really hoped it was nothing that he had done. She didn't answer, and he felt like maybe it wasn't his business. "You don't have to tell me" he added quickly.

Elena looked into his eyes as a few sporadic tears fell from her own. God, she hated him for being so nice and understanding. "I'm still a virgin too" she said quietly, waiting for him to get mad and move away from her. She had lied, after all.

His face showed his surprise, but didn't look mad. Or hurt. And he didn't move away from her. "But you said …" he mentioned, only for her to cut him off.

"I know what I said" she said quickly. "I lied. I never slept with all those guys I claimed to have slept with" she confessed. "This, us right now? That's the closest I have ever come to having sex. And I chickened out" she said, hanging her head low. When he didn't reply, she looked back up and saw him smiling. "Why are you smiling?" she asked. "Aren't you mad?"

"Of course not" he replied, brushing a straggling tear off of her cheek with his thumb. "I'm relieved" he told her softly.

She looked like she didn't believe him. "Relieved that you won't be having sex tonight?" she asked. That was ridiculous.

He continued to smile. "No. Relieved that you haven't slept with all those guys" he told her. "Because I know that not all of them would have cared about you the way I do" he added. If her heart could have melted, it would have. Damn him for using words so perfectly. "You deserve to do this with someone who you trust. Someone who cares about you" he said.

"I can't believe you're being all nice to me right now" she told him. "I mean, look what I did" she said, pointing to his briefs. The evidence was definitely there. She had turned him on and then left him like that.

Stefan's cheeks turned red as he carefully maneuvered his leg to cover himself up more. "I'm being nice to you because this is an experience I want to share with you. When we're both ready" he explained. "And don't worry about this" he said, pointing down at himself. "It happens quite a bit" he said, unable to hide his grin.

It got Elena to smile though. "I would hate to be a guy" she told him.

"You get used to it" he said, surprised that he was having this conversation with her. But he got serious again. "Why did you feel the need to tell me you had all this experience though?" he asked curiously.

Elena sighed, her smile slowly fading. "Because I was stupid" she told him.

He gave her a disapproving look. "Try again" he told her, not liking one bit that she was being so negative towards herself.

"Because I wanted to keep you at a safe distance" she answered. She had needed for him to think she was an entirely different person than she really was, to protect herself.

Stefan smiled, signaling his understanding. He leaned in slowly, making she was okay with the sweet kiss he placed on her lips. "And how did that work out for you?" he asked finally with a knowing grin.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Shut up" she told him, though she was smiling back at him.

"I'm glad you told me all of this" he said quietly. "I like knowing the real Elena. Not the one who protects herself all the time" he added.

"Thank you, Stefan" she told him. "For being so understanding." She still felt bad though.

"Do you want to head back to the ranch?" he asked.

She shook her head no slowly, surprising him for the hundredth time that night. "I'd like to sleep here" she told him. It was adventurous and she loved that. "I don't want to have sex tonight" she said quickly, wanting to be upfront with him about what she wanted. "But … I wouldn't be opposed to … doing other stuff" she said, looking down to hide her shyness. If she was going to experience this sort of stuff, there was no one better to do it with than Stefan.

Stefan perked up some. "Other stuff?" he asked. What in the hell did that mean?

She really didn't want to have to spell it out for him, but she was going to have to. "Like cuddling… and kissing and touching … and stuff" she replied vaguely. "Does that sound okay?" she asked, looking back up at him.

Stefan stared into her eyes for a moment, and she thought he was going to say no. "Okay" he smiled. "Clothes on, or off?" he questioned.

"Off" Elena replied. Definitely off.

**A/N: Stefan. Ugh. Just ugh. Stop it. Just stop it. **


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Here it is. Your M (for sex related activities) rated chapter. I was going for awkward, because at 17, doing this stuff for the first time, it should be awkward. I gave it my best shot, but if you are looking for really good smut, I suggest looking up a few of my fellow writers.**

**If you do not want to read this, no worries. Not every chapter from here on out will be filled with sexual content. I still do love Stefan and Elena's growing relationship and I will probably throw some angst in again later.**

**Enjoy!**

"Off?" Stefan asked for clarification. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Elena nodded. "I may not be ready to … you know, have sex tonight. But I think us seeing each other naked could be … fun" she said, gaining that little bit of fire back in her eyes. Stefan nodded, feeling even more nervous now. How he thought they could have sex with under garments still on, he didn't know. But now it was like they were each other's audience and that was nerve-racking. "Do you want to take my bra off, or should I do it?" Elena asked him. She wasn't sure what the protocol was in this sort of situation, but maybe him practicing was a good thing.

Stefan nodded his head, his eyes showing his anticipation. Elena turned away from him, giving him her back so he could undo the clip. He fumbled with it for a few moments before giving her a nervous laugh. "I can't get it undone" he told her. Probably because his fingers were shaking so bad.

"Here, let me help" she said, reaching her arms back behind her and unsnapping the clip like a pro. She turned back around and faced him. He looked at her, disappointed in himself. "This bra is new. The clip is still stiff" she told him, hoping he wouldn't look so bummed out. Slowly, Elena let the straps fall down off of her shoulders and finally, the bra fell down in front of her. He instantly forgot about the bra issue. Stefan's eyes stared hard in front of him and she wondered if he was even still breathing. Had he never seen breasts before? "Do you want to touch them?" she asked.

His eyes painfully lifted to meet hers as he listened to her question. Did he want to touch them? Hell yes he wanted to touch them. She was a lot more comfortable than him in this situation and he really hoped he wouldn't feel this awkward every time he saw her naked. Stefan lifted both of his hands and placed them in front of him, hands open and palms facing her. He hesitated, not entirely sure on how to approach her. Did he just jump in and grab them? Did he grab one at a time? How about just one finger to touch? Two? Elena laughed at him again and he frowned. "You laughin' isn't helping" he told her, his Wyoming accent drawing out his complaint.

Elena bit her lip to quiet herself down and then apologized. "I'm sorry" she told him. "Here, I'll help" she said, grabbing his hands and bringing them forward to come into contact with her breasts.

Elena yelped suddenly and Stefan's hands flew back. "What?" he nearly yelled, completely freaked out. He didn't ever want to touch her breasts again now. He had fucked up the only chance he had gotten.

Elena smiled, seeing how worried he was. "Your hands are ridiculously cold" she informed him. "Warm them up. Blow on them or something" she told him. Stefan gave her an odd look before he brought his hands to his mouth and blew his warm breath on them. He seemed much more relaxed, knowing he hadn't done anything wrong. He gave Elena a small smile as he reached forward again, placing his hands on her breasts. She didn't flinch or complain of cold. "So, what do you think?" Elena asked, sitting there patiently as he held onto her breasts.

Stefan thought about his answer before he replied. "They're nice" he said awkwardly. He really had no idea what to say.

"Nice?" Elena asked. "Boots are nice" she reminded him.

Stefan sighed. "I don't know Elena. I didn't exactly picture it like this" he told her, starting to get a little frustrated with the situation. Why did the movies and books make this all look so romantic? It was awkward as hell.

Elena placed her hands on her hips as she sat there in front of him with his hands still on her. "Well then, what did you picture?" she asked him. He needed to stop being so … gentlemanly and tell her what he wanted to do to her.

Stefan shrugged awkwardly. "You laying down maybe?" he asked, seeking her input.

"Okay" Elena said, pulling her feet out from under her and leaning back to lay on the mattress again. Stefan slowly followed her, moving over the top of her in the same position they had been before she had asked him to stop. He was resting on his forearms, still holding her breasts. But slowly, he warmed up to the idea of massaging them lightly. A little pressure here, a little pressure there. Sometimes a firm squeeze.

"Is this okay?" he asked her, checking in.

Elena nodded. She really had nothing to compare it to. "I'd love it if you were kissing me too though" she mentioned. She could tell he was focusing so hard on her breasts that he had forgotten that he could multitask.

"Oh" he said, giving her an embarrassed smile as he leaned down and kissed her lips. Slow and soft at first, like he was new at doing that too. But he quickly turned the heat up, coaxing her mouth open with his. He heard her moan softly as his lips worked over hers, and his hands still massaged her breasts. It wasn't so bad, once he got over his initial fear. He just needed a boost of confidence. He had to remind himself that Elena was new to all of this too, and anything she said or did was probably things she had heard about. He felt her arms move around his back, her hands slowly running up and down, feeling the dip and curve of every muscle there. He didn't ever do the traditional workout. But he put in a good day's work on the ranch, tossing around bales of hay and digging holes for fence posts. Stefan never paid much attention to his physique, though he had noticed in the last year that he had really filled out.

When he sensed her need for air, he slowed the kiss down, his lips leaving soft kisses on the corners of her mouth before trailing down to her chin. Elena's eyes were closed, her lips parted just so as she breathed in and out. Her chest rose and fell and her hands were pressed firmly against his back as if she were holding on. Stefan smiled, trailing his lips under her chin, down her neck, across her collarbone, and towards her chest. She wasn't protesting, and he took that as his cue to keep going.

His left hand moved down below her breast and the moment his warm mouth closed over her nipple, she hissed at the sensation. Elena's hands left his back and moved to the base of his neck, her fingers holding his head in place. It was a phenomenal feeling, especially when his tongue swirled and his mouth made a delicious sucking motion, even if it was uncoordinated at times. He was getting more confident and that was a turn-on for her. She wanted more. "Mmmm" she moaned softly, arching her back up slightly. She was enjoying this far too much.

Stefan moved on to the other breast and the chilled air around them nipped at her newly wet and exposed skin. She took the initiative to place his hand over the breast not attached to his mouth. Stefan had to smile. As innocent as she still was, she was willing to show him what she wanted. His hand continued to massage one breast and his mouth ravaged the other. Who knew he could be so good at this his first time around?

A few minutes of that and he was pulling away from her, inviting her to sit back up to face him. He had a proud look on his face as he reached around and pulled on her ponytail. Letting her hair fall down around her. Her cheeks were a soft pink, as were her breasts from all the attention he had given them. He reached one hand up and cupped the side of her face, looking in her eyes. Her hand came to rest on his hand against her cheek, loving the intimacy they had just shared. She smiled because she couldn't help it. He was so gentle and so caring. How had she gotten so lucky, ending up on his ranch of all places? Elena leaned forward, placing her hands on his shoulders as she kissed him as a thank you. When she pulled away, she looked determined. "Lay down" she instructed. It was his turn.

Stefan hesitated for a moment before laying back, his knees slightly bent. He wasn't quite sure what to expect, but he was looking forward to it. But to be honest, he loved giving her pleasure more. True to his nature, he was a giver, not a taker. Elena moved between his legs with her torso laying on his. Surely her weight was not going cripple the solid ranch boy she had under her.

Stefan's eyes were fixated on hers as she leaned down and kissed him innocently. Much too innocently. Then her lips were gone, landing on his shoulder and getting a good feel of the muscle with her lips. She couldn't believe how perfect he was. He could have stepped out of a modeling catalogue. Or rather, one of those tractor catalogues she saw sitting on the kitchen counter every now and then.

He felt her tongue slide down his shoulder, moving over his right peck. Her lips paid the same attention to his nipple that his had to hers and quite honestly, it was the hottest thing he had yet to experience with her. Who knew that would feel so good? Elena's hands roamed along the side of his waist, feeling those taught muscles too. Everything she touched was tight.

Stefan finally got his hands to work, letting them roam around her back and finally, land on her ass still covered by her underwear. He loved staring at the jeans and shorts she wore. The ones that really accentuated her backside. And now that his hands got to touch her, he gave her a light squeeze that made her giggle against him. She moved to his left nipple, giving it a soft tug with her teeth. His hands squeezed her bottom in response, earning him another giggle.

As much as he was enjoying her teasing licks and kisses on his upper torso, he was still feeling a little uncomfortable down below. Elena's hips were resting against his and every time she moved on top of him, she bumped him. It was getting pretty unbearable, and he wasn't really sure how to tell her, or whether he should at all.

Elena sat up and ran her fingers along his abs. "These are insane" she told him with a silly grin. His hands were still resting on her backside, but slowly moved to her hips. "Girls would kill to touch these" she said, tracing her finger in between the distinguishing lines of his muscles.

Stefan smiled shyly. He never really noticed girls fawning over him. He was too busy looking for the "one". "Hey Elena" he said, looking up at her eyes. She tilted her head to the side, indicating that she was listening. "As much as I love this" he said, indicating her on top of him. "I'm kind of uncomfortable" he said, completely embarrassed about it as his eyes looked down to where she was sitting on him.

Elena's eyes followed his and then it clicked. "Oh God" she said, quickly getting off of him. She had been so distracted by what they were doing that she completely forgot about his erection.

"It's okay" he told her, not wanting her to worry. He could take care of it himself. Like he had done many times before. She was staring down at it, like she wanted to say something but hadn't had the courage to say it. "What?" he asked.

Elena's eyes met his instantly as she looked intently at him. "I want to see it" she announced.

He froze, not entirely sure if he was ready for her to see his … manhood. But he needed to get over his fear of her seeing him completely naked. Slowly, he sat up, moving his hands to grab his briefs and pull them down slowly. Elena watched in pure curiosity as he popped free. She grabbed his briefs and tossed them aside as he sat there in front of her. Elena looked nervous he thought, like she was trying to figure out what to do with him. He didn't want her to think she had to do anything though. "There's a bathroom downstairs" he said, thinking he could just go down there and relieve himself. It wasn't a functioning bathroom, but he could have his privacy.

His eyes nearly popped out of his head when her small hands were gripping him suddenly, with no warning what so ever. "I … I don't know what to do" she admitted, having never given a hand job before. She knew the gist of it, but he probably knew better than her what felt good.

Stefan could tell that she was serious about this, so he didn't shy away from her touch. But it was killing him to be sitting there, with her hands on him and not moving. "Wrap one hand right here" he said, grabbing her left hand and folding her fingers around the base. "And this one" he said, grabbing her right hand. "Just move it up and down, slowly" he instructed, moving his hand with hers for a minute or two, helping her get the motion down.

Elena did as he had said, staring at the movement of their hands as she concentrated. Stefan had leaned back, letting her try by herself. He rested his weight on his hands. "Like this?" she asked, glancing up at him.

Stefan nodded, his fingers digging into the mattress. "Just like that" he said softly, telling himself he was going to hold out for her so she got the experience. But in all honesty, he was ready to burst since she had first turned him on earlier. Her hands were warm and soft, giving him a different feel from his typically rough and calloused hands. Stefan's eyes closed and he took slow breaths in and out.

Elena kept up at it for a while, knowing there was so much more for her to learn, but happy with her performance so far. She looked up at him and saw him looking like he was lost in his own little world of pleasure. And she was doing that. The more she moved her hand up and down, the more she noticed the muscles in his arms and abs tighten. The evidence was starting to appear, signaling his impending climax.

"Jesus" Stefan breathed, his eyes flying open. He leaned forward, removing her hands and grabbing his discarded t-shirt to cover himself. Elena watched in fascination as a loud, guttural groan escaped him. He was panting as his hand still gripped himself, helping himself finish. A smile appeared a minute or so later and he finally tossed his messy t-shirt aside. "That was amazin' Elena" he told her, laying back and closing his eyes. Elena smiled too, moving to the side of him and laying down right next to him. She rested her head on his arm and turned to look at him. He too turned and looked at her, moving in for a kiss. Elena sighed contently when the kiss ended, snuggling closer to him. "Thank you" he whispered, feeling suddenly tired. It was the middle of the night, after all.

Elena trailed her finger along his jaw, reaching in for another quick kiss. "I'm glad we did this" she said quietly. She tried to think about when she might be ready to go all the way with him, but she wasn't sure. The one thing she did know, was that she trusted him. And that she felt comfortable with him.

"Can I return the favor?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

Elena shook her head no. "Not tonight" she answered. She was content with how far they had gone that night. Stefan was secretly relieved she had declined. He had no idea what he was doing down there anyway. He needed to prepare before he actually tried to please her that way. His eyes were staring down towards her thighs, and although he would never ask, Elena could tell he was curious. "Do you want to take them off?" she asked, referring to her underwear.

Stefan blushed, knowing he had been caught staring. "Well I am, after all, completely naked" he reminded her with a shy smile that she returned. She was well aware that he was naked. Stefan sat up and Elena laid her head back down on the mattress, getting comfortable again as she watched Stefan. He carefully grabbed ahold of the band of her underwear and then slowly slid them down, revealing her to him, bare and smooth. The breath was almost taken out of his lungs as he stared at her.

"Truly beautiful" he whispered, then blushed. This was so much better than looking at the photos in Damon's dirty magazine that Stefan had found a few years ago, poorly hidden in the sock drawer. He had a beautiful girl in front of him, naked. It was officially the best summer ever. Stefan kept the mental image of her as he lay back down beside her. His hand rested on top of her stomach as he placed soft kisses along her bare shoulder. "You really are beautiful" he whispered, his hand coming up to cup under her breast again.

Elena sucked in a small breath and closed her eyes, wondering if they were going _there_ again. As his lips went lower, making contact with her breast, she knew she was right. He was going to give that same loving attention to her breasts again. Elena sighed softly as Stefan rolled his upper body over hers, giving him better access.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

An hour later, they both lay side by side, him dressed in his briefs and her dressed in her bra and underwear again. She was on top of him, her head resting against his chest as she listened to his heartbeat. She loved the way her head rose and fell with every breath he took. She also loved his fingers threading through her hair, massaging her scalp and then moving through her long locks. "I could fall asleep like this" she said softly.

Stefan kissed her head, happy to hear how content she was. "Go to sleep then" he added, just as softly.

As he laid there with her so close, he couldn't help but think how this is what he wanted. He loved sharing this closeness with her. He couldn't wait to see how the year played out for them. Sure, they were not boyfriend and girlfriend yet, but he hoped that would change eventually.

Because he really liked her.

They made it back to the ranch by sunrise, both exhausted but thoroughly happy with the night's events. As they put the horses away, Stefan caught Elena around the waist as she tried to leave the barn. Stefan looped his fingers around her belt loops, pulling her against his bare chest as he backed her up against the wall. He smiled as he leaned in and kissed her, finding it nearly impossible to keep his hands off of her. She had given him a little of her and now he wanted all of her, all the time, all to himself. Elena wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him with just as much need.

The horses whinnied, pawing at their stall doors as they waited impatiently for their breakfast. Elena giggled, pulling away from Stefan. "Your babies are hungry" she told him.

Stefan grinned, giving her one quick peck on her lips. "Go get some sleep" he told her, knowing she hadn't gotten much. Elena smiled as she slid past him and wandered out of the barn. Stefan stood there like a love-struck fool, watching her until she disappeared. He turned to find his horses still looking at him expectantly. "What?" he asked with a laugh. He went to work on getting them their breakfast, whistling to himself as he did.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena had borrowed Stefan's truck again later that day, sounding urgent about going into town to use the wifi for her tablet. Stefan had willingly given up his keys and she had been gone for a few hours. He missed her, but was happy when she returned around lunch time.

"Let's go on a trail ride" she informed him when she got out of the truck, grabbing his hand and practically dragging him back to the barn.

"I was gonna make us lunch" he told her, wondering what she was in such a hurry for.

"Later" she said hastily, continuing to tug on his hand as they walked quickly.

She was grabbing her saddle and bridle before he even had another chance to decline. "What's goin' on?" he asked, quite confused with her sudden need to go for a trail ride. "Ric will be home in an hour" he added. And he wouldn't like coming home to find them gone.

"We'll be back before then" she assured him, grabbing Red and putting him in a set of crossties. Elena brushed over him quickly before putting the saddle pad on and then tossing the saddle up on him. She turned back to see Stefan still standing there. "Come on" she bossed, needing him to pick up the pace a little bit.

Stefan eyed her carefully before grabbing his roping horse and tack. Elena was out of the barn, trotting toward the trail they often used before he was even done. Stefan had to hurry to catch up. "Wait up!" he called. Elena brought Red to a walk as Stefan joined her. "What's goin' on?" he asked again.

Elena kept a straight face as she looked forward. "Nothing. I just want to go for a trail ride" she told him, giving a small smile finally. "It is a beautiful day again" she added.

"Sure is" he agreed with her. "But that doesn't explain why we gotta go right now" he said. "Are we goin' to the river?" he asked.

"No, but we'll head that way" she informed him. "Come on" she encouraged, picking back up a trot and then eventually, a canter. Stefan let her take the lead, following closely behind her for nearly fifteen minutes until she pulled back on Red, coming to a stop. They hadn't quite reached the river, but they were standing in a heavily wooded forest. "Here" she announced, swinging herself down off of the horse. She pulled Red off of the trail a little ways and tied his reins to a tree branch to ensure he wasn't going anywhere.

Stefan did the same with his horse, then looked around. "What are we doin' out here?" he asked her, starting to get suspicious. Elena smiled as she grabbed his hand and pulled him further into the trees. "Elena, seriously, what's goin' on?" he asked, swatting tree branches out of his face as he followed her. They came to a sudden stop behind a particularly large tree.

"I have a surprise for you" she said, a mixture of excitement and nervousness coating her words. Stefan tilted his head slightly, asking with his eyes what she was talking about. "Sit down" she told him. Again, he looked at her confused. She rolled her eyes at him. "We don't have much time. Sit" she instructed.

Stefan sighed and did as he was told. "Okay" he said, showing her that he was in fact, sitting.

Elena smiled as she kneeled in front of him. "So you know how I went into town earlier?" she asked. Stefan nodded. "I was … Googling something" she said, her eyes avoiding his for a split second, almost as if she was embarrassed about something.

"Googlin' … what?' he asked, suddenly nervous. What had she been researching that had led her to take him out into the woods?

Elena smiled shyly. "I wanted to learn how to give you a …" she said, pausing. It was such a funny word and lately, she had found herself becoming shy and embarrassed a lot more around him. Maybe because she had let herself care what he thought of her. Instead of finishing her sentence out loud, she leaned in and whispered the last word in his ear.

Stefan's eyes grew wide as he scooted back from her slightly. "You can't be serious" he told her. Elena nodded. "Here? Now?" he asked her.

"Yes here, now" she told him, slightly annoyed that he wasn't exactly game about this plan. "When else are we going to have any time to ourselves?" she asked.

He opened his mouth to argue, but she was right. They didn't get much time alone with Ric roaming around and Damon popping in as he pleased. And they couldn't sneak out every night. Stefan shook his head. "Where did you even get this idea?" he asked. Had he somehow implied that he wanted this from her?

Elena shrugged. "Last night got me thinking about other things for us to try" she explained.

So she wanted to do this. "You do know you don't have to do this" he told her. "Last night was amazing, but I'm not expecting you to … you know" he said, feeling slightly embarrassed himself now.

"I know I don't have to" she told him, scooting closer to him. "I want to" she added, looking into his eyes. "Don't you want to know what it feels like?" she asked him. Didn't every guy want to know what it felt like?

Stefan found himself inadvertently looking at her lips as he thought about her question. No doubt, her doing that to him would feel amazing. And the last thing he wanted to do was reject her. "Okay" he said softly.

Elena raised an eyebrow. "You're game?" she asked. Stefan nodded. She smiled nervously, getting the okay from him. "Okay. We need to get your jeans down" she said, trying to think in her head about all of the steps and tips she had mentally taken notes on while searching the internet. It was all very mechanical for her, and not so much romantic. Though, they had time to make things more romantic as they got more comfortable. Stefan didn't waste any time kicking his boots off and then undoing his jeans and sliding them off, sitting there in just his briefs. Elena slowly sat up some and moved over his lap to straddle him, knowing she needed to get him warmed up before she tried her newest adventure. Stefan's hands instinctively found themselves on her hips, wanting to touch her.

Elena leaned in and brushed her lips against his slowly, coaxing him into a kiss. They could both tell they were somewhat nervous. She continued to kiss him, and it was all very innocent. Until she moved her hips slowly, the jeans she was wearing scraping against the thin cotton of his briefs. She felt his hands tighten on her waist and his teeth graze her bottom lip, just from a few back and forth motions from her hips. She waited a minute or two, her arms moving around his neck as they continued to kiss. His lips pressed harder against hers and his tongue was getting more exploratory. She took that as a good sign.

Elena again moved her hips over his, brushing up against the bulge that had started to form in his underwear. This elicited a soft groan from him which went right into her mouth. She tried to move over him again when he gripped her waist and stilled her. She pulled back from his lips and looked at him. He gave her a breathless smile, not wanting to worry her. "If you keep movin' your hips like that, well that will be the end of it for me" he said, hoping she caught his drift. He was extra sensitive today, and that probably had something to do with what they had done earlier that morning. His senses were heightened, as were his hormones.

Elena nodded her understanding, placing a soft kiss against his lips before she moved back away from him. She thought about all the positions she could do this in and determined that kneeling between his legs and bending over was going to be the easiest. They could always get more creative later. Slowly, she reached up and grabbed his briefs, lowering them down his hips, then down his muscular legs and over his feet. Stefan was right. He was definitely ready to go, standing erect for her and waiting on her for some sort of relief. "I'm going to need you to tell me what feels good" she said, bringing her eyes up to look at him. "Or what you don't like" she quickly added.

Stefan could only nod as his eyes locked onto her hands, following them and watching them closely as she grabbed ahold of him. She started much like she had when they were in the old house. Slow, concentrated strokes that nearly made his eyes roll to the back of his head. As much as he wanted to watch her, he couldn't help but let his eyes slowly close as he leaned back on his hands and gave in to the pleasure.

Elena smirked when she saw Stefan close his eyes. Clearly, she was doing it right. And she was definitely someone who always liked to do things right. A small moan of pleasure left his lips and Elena wanted to make sure she timed everything right. She couldn't have him finishing before she got to use her mouth of him.

Stefan's hands pressed hard into the grass he was sitting on. Something to keep him grounded, he supposed. But as soon as he felt himself inside of her warm mouth, he groaned loudly, forgetting all about being grounded.

He was floating. If he thought her hands were good, he hadn't experienced anything like her lips slowly moving up and down his shaft, her tongue swirling around him and helping with the lubrication. One of her hands was still placed firmly at the base of him, while the other gripped onto his inner thigh. "Fuck, Elena" he mumbled, and she had to strain her ears to hear him correctly. It was a cold day in Hell when Stefan used that kind of language. But hearing him losing control like that was sexy.

Elena's hand continued to move rhythmically with her mouth. While she wasn't confident to take all of him in her mouth, she knew he wasn't going to complain about what she could do. His head now thrown back and the muscles in his arms flexing, she was sure he was going to explode any minute, and not just figuratively.

Stefan couldn't believe what was happening to him. He had never, ever experienced a buildup like the one he was getting now. If this was any indication for what actual sex would feel like with her, well, he had something to look forward to. He thought her tongue on him was his favorite part, but then her lips would suck in just the right way that had him barely able to sit still. Then there was her hand applying just the right amount of pressure, combined with all the other ways she was driving him crazy. "Elena" he breathed heavily, eyes still closed. "I'm … I'm gonna …" he said, pausing as he felt a tightening sensation followed by the most exquisite release he had ever felt in his entire life. Ten times better that when he did this himself and two times better than what she had done to him during the early morning.

He cried out a long, pleasurable moan as Elena continued to lick and suck until there was nothing left. He hadn't expected her to finish him that way. He would have been content with finishing himself, like he had done earlier with her.

Elena let her lips drag slowly off of him, using her wrist to wipe at her mouth, just in case she had a little … something still on them. She couldn't believe she had just done that. She was going to pull away before he finished, but looking up at him and seeing how much he was enjoying what she was doing, she decided to follow through. Patiently, she waited for him to collect himself while she worked on steadying her own breathing. That had been a lot more work than she had thought.

Stefan leaned back until he was flat against the grass. His hands covered his face as he laughed like he couldn't believe that just happened. Elena joined him, moving to lay down right next to him. She looked over at him, smiling. "So, how did I do?" she asked.

Stefan's eyes slowly opened and he smiled when he saw her looking at him. He was definitely going to return the favor at a later date, after he did his own research to learn what he needed to do to give her the same mind-blowing orgasm she had given him just moments earlier. "You're amazing" he smiled, still breathing kind of hard. "Thank you" he added, remembering to be polite. Stefan leaned over, giving her a sweet kiss. It was interesting to taste himself still lingering on her, but it was a reminder of the amazing thing she had done for him. When he pulled away, he smiled again. "I promise I will return the favor" he told her, reaching his hand over and moving her ponytail off of her shoulder.

Elena blushed. She was kind of looking forward to it though. "We umm … we should start heading back. We don't want Ric looking for us and finding you …. like this" she added, motioning towards is half nakedness.

She began to sit up, but found his arms wrapping around her, pulling her back down. "We've got a few minutes" he said, easing her worry. Stefan leaned in, kissing her once again.

And this time, he kissed her passionately, giving her a small preview for what she could expect from his tongue and lips between her legs in the near future.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Well, I'm pullin' back the reins here, so to speak. I think you'll see why when you read. I know the route I want to take with this story, so I hope you follow along and continue to enjoy reading : )**

**Thanks everyone!**

Stefan sat on the tailgate of his truck in the middle of his field, staring out at nothing but grass for as far as he could see. It was one of his go-to places when he needed to think. And right then, he had a whole lot of thinking to be doing.

The past week had been an off week for him. He felt guilty for how far he and Elena had gone, both at the old house and on the trail. He'd be the first to admit that he got caught up in the moment both times, and while everything he experienced felt amazing, he wasn't that guy. He knew that most of the guys around town that were his age had already slept with a girl, if not more. But he had always prided himself in being the one that held out for someone special. And when the time was right, they could share that special moment together.

Elena certainly was special. And he cared about her probably more than she thought he did, but still. He wanted them both to be in the same place as far as relationships and sex was concerned. If the past week told him anything, it was that they both were not in the same place.

Now he just felt like a plain and reckless kid who had let his hormones get the best of him. He wanted him and Elena to be in a place where they could both admit their feelings for one another. But more importantly, he wanted to be able to tell Elena that he loved her. To be able to make some sort of promise to her, before they went any further in their … relationship?

That was the second thing bothering him. What were they to each other? The sad part was, he had no idea. And he'd be damned if all they were to each other were bed buddies.

Elena deserved a lot more from him, like commitment. Not just a good first fuck when one of them felt like it. Not a situation to just _do it_ to see what it was like, either.

Stefan sighed as he looked out ahead. The other thing on his mind was how strange Elena had been acting the past week. She wasn't all playful and trying to kiss him, or waiting for him to kiss her. She actually hadn't wanted any affection from him at all and did her best to avoid him. The time he finally did get her close, she had resisted his kiss and it had been awkward. She never acknowledged her behavior though, and he was left to think that he had done something wrong.

Like taking her to the old house with intentions of having sex. Seeing her naked and all the intimate moments they had shared. Maybe she regretted all that they did. Maybe he ruined everything.

He sighed again, figuring he had better get back to the ranch. The horses would be expecting dinner and he probably needed to eat something himself.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Bekah, come on" Damon groaned, drawing out his annoyance as he stood in her driveway. "I said I was sorry."

Rebekah had her arms crossed, shaking her head angrily at him. Her boots were planted firmly in the gravel and Damon knew she was livid. "And you was sorry last week when you forgot to pick me up for dinner and you was sorry the week before that when you forgot to pick me up from the auto shop" she reminded him angrily. She had to walk three hours back home after dropping her truck off because he hadn't remembered to come and pick her up.

Damon sighed long and hard. "I got busy at the arena" he told her, like that was a valid excuse.

"You're always at that damn arena!" she spat at him. "The only time I get to see you is if I go down there and watch you practice!" And there was only so much of that she could do. She wanted to spend time alone with him, go out and do things that couples did.

Damon rolled his eyes, only frustrating her more. "I need to practice Bekah. You know that. It's the same damn thing you do when you're trainin' for your barrels" he reminded her.

Rebekah shook her head no. "No. It is not the same thing" she said angrily. "I make time for you, Damon. Even at 2 AM when you call drunk lookin' for a booty call" she said, completely disgusted with him.

Damon again rolled his eyes. "I don't know what you're so upset about. I'm sorry I forgot about dinner tonight. I'll take you out tomorrow night" he said, trying to make her happy again so they could stop fighting. That's all they had been doing lately. Well, mainly her bitching at him, as he saw it.

An angry tear rolled down her cheek as she listened to him. "Tomorrow isn't our anniversary!" she yelled. "For fuck sakes Damon. Eight years! Eight years I have put up with your bullshit!" she reminded him angrily.

It dawned on him instantly that he had forgotten their anniversary. He actually thought it was two months away still. "Shit. Bekah, I'm real sorry" he told her, actually feeling kind of bad about it. He knew it was important to her.

She wiped at another angry tear. "You have no idea what's even goin' on with my life right now" she told him. It was something she had been keeping bottled up inside, telling herself he would change. He would grow up. He would start to be less of a selfish bastard.

"Course I do" he told her, taking offense to her statement. "You've been competin' on your horse, just like you always do" he told her, hoping the mention of her horse would soften her anger a little.

Nope. She was even angrier. "No, Damon. He's lame! He has been for weeks!" she said, throwing up her arms and groaning in pure frustration that he could be that clueless.

"How come I didn't know 'bout this?" Damon asked.

"You was too busy with your own life, Damon" she reminded him bitterly.

"Now that ain't fair" he told her, stepping closer to her. "You know I'm tryin' to earn a livin' on the circuit so I can do right by you" he said.

Rebekah laughed angrily. "A livin'?" she asked in disbelief. "The season's nearly over Damon, and you've only made 3000 dollars. And I bet you've blown that on beer" she told him.

Damon scoffed. "I don't see you makin' no money either" he threw back at her. He regretted his comment when he saw how hurt she looked. He was just so angry because he knew he hadn't been doing well. The majority of that money had come from his earnings when he competed with Stefan.

"You're right, Damon. I'm not" she told him regretfully. "I struggle, every day, to keep this rodeo dream alive. So you and I can do this together" she said sadly. "My parents cut me off, Damon. They want me to go to college. And I kept insisting I couldn't because of you. Because I wanted to be with you" she continued.

"So who's been payin' your way then?" Damon asked. As far as he knew, she wasn't working. And odd jobs here and there wouldn't pay her way.

Another tear fell. She really didn't want him to know. But at the same time, she wanted to throw it in his face. "Your brother" she answered. A flash of confusion and then disappointment moved across his face. "My entry fees. Gas. Vet bills" she listed off. "He even cared enough to let me use one of his horses to compete until mine was sound again" she added.

Damon shook his head as he turned around, clearly frustrated with the situation. "You shoulda come to me" he told her.

"I did!" she yelled suddenly, defending her actions. "I called you and asked you to come and look at my horse because I thought somethin' was wrong. And you remember what you said? You said it was probably nothin' and you were late to meet the boys for practice" she said angrily. "The moment I told Stefan somethin' was wrong, he looked over my horse and figured it out. He offered to pay all the vet bills because he knew I couldn't" she added.

"You coulda asked me for money" Damon said, turning back around and choosing to ignore the fact that he bad brushed her concerns about her horse off. He actually didn't remember her mentioning there being something wrong with her horse at all.

Rebekah balked at his statement. "Why should I have to ask, Damon?" she asked angrily. "Why can't you be the kind of boyfriend that knows when I need help?" she asked.

"Like Stefan?" he asked, not even hiding the fact that he was jealous.

"Stefan did nothin' wrong Damon" she warned, not wanting him to start a fight with his brother.

"Stefan can't do nothin' wrong, can he Bekah?" Damon asked angrily. "Well I'm sorry I can't fuckin' be Stefan" he told her.

"I never asked for you to be like Stefan" she said, starting to cry because she just couldn't take it anymore. "I never asked you for anything Damon. Because I shouldn't have to ask you to pay attention to me or to care about me" she cried softly.

Although Damon didn't cry often, he damn near looked like he wanted to. "Come on Bekah, please don't cry" he said, stepping towards her to hug her. He hated when she cried.

She moved back instantly, refusing his embrace. "I can't do this anymore, Damon" she said, shaking her head.

"Bekah, don't do this" Damon said, knowing exactly where she was going with her statement.

"I don't want to be your girlfriend anymore" she said, hearing her voice catch as she said it aloud. It was a strange thing to admit, because for 8 years, since she was 13, that's all she knew was to be his girlfriend. "We're over, Damon" she told him, turning around quickly and going back to inside her house. She couldn't look at his face.

Because she was afraid she wouldn't see anything. No sadness, no regret. Just a blank stare, like he wasn't capable of caring that he had lost her.

He didn't follow her. He didn't call out her name. He wasn't fighting for her.

He simply just got back in his truck and left.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan arrived at the ranch as the sun was beginning to set. The horses were already crying out for their dinner.

He jumped out of his truck and was surprised to see Damon pulling in behind him. It was a Friday night and usually Damon was out. "Everything okay?" Stefan asked. Damon didn't look happy at all.

Damon walked quickly towards Stefan and drew his fist back, making contact with Stefan's jaw before Stefan even had time to react. Stefan fell over, grabbing his face as the pain set in. "Yeah, Stef. Everything is just fuckin' peachy now that I find out you've been givin' my girlfriend money!" he yelled, stepping on Stefan as he tried to get up and kicking him back over.

Stefan didn't attempt to get up again, but he did look up at his brother. "She was runnin' low on funds. She's my friend" Stefan said, knowing full well that his brother was pissed off and nothing he said would make it any better.

"Yeah well you bein' a good friend has got her all confused" Damon said, the anger cutting through his words. "She's tryin' to break up with me" he informed, standing over Stefan still.

Stefan processed what his brother told him before answering. "Me helpin' her with money ain't what got her wantin' to leave you" Stefan said, attempting to stand back up. As soon as he was up, Damon punched him again, sending him back down to the ground.

"Don't go thinkin' you know anythin' 'bout my relationship with Bekah" Damon barked.

"Stefan?" Elena called from the porch, seeing Stefan on the ground in the driveway with Damon towering over him. She'd seen the altercation and she wasn't about to let it continue.

"I'm fine Elena" Stefan called back. "Go back in the house" he told her, not wanting her to see the altercation with his brother.

Elena didn't listen though. She did the exact opposite, walking towards them. "This ain't got nothin' to do with you. Get back in the house" Damon warned.

Elena ignored him, walking until she could kneel down in front of Stefan. "You're bleeding" she said, running her thumb over his busted lip. "What the hell is going on?" Elena asked, turning slightly to look up at Damon.

"This ain't over, Brother" Damon said, ignoring Elena as he backed up. He wasn't going to continue with Elena standing there. He was in his truck, pealing out of the driveway and leaving nothing but dust as he drove off.

Elena turned her attention back to Stefan. Sweet, loving Stefan who was bleeding and looking crushed. "What the hell was that about?" Elena asked, still holding his face.

"Rebekah broke up with Damon" Stefan answered. "And he's not happy 'bout it" he added.

Elena frowned. "Come on. Let's get some ice on this" she said, helping him up.

Elena held his hand as she led him back inside and sat him on a chair. She was gone for a few minutes, fetching the first aid kit and some ice.

"You didn't even fight back" Elena told him, cleaning up his cut.

Stefan winced slightly at the sting. "I ain't gonna fight my brother" he told her.

"But you'll sit there and let him beat you to a pulp?" Elena asked, dabbing at his cut some more and holding his face still.

"He's just upset. I need to go and find him" Stefan said, attempting to get up.

"I don't think so" Elena said, pushing him back into the chair. "You're just going to get your ass beat up again" she told him, reaching for the ice pack and resting it against his jaw. He hissed, feeling the sting of the cold on an open wound. But he reached up and held onto it so she didn't have to.

"Don't tell Ric 'bout this" Stefan said, his eyes pleading with hers.

"Stefan, he hit you. Twice. Don't you think Ric should know what an asshole he's being?" Elena asked him. He didn't answer right away.

She rolled her eyes and went to throw away her garbage when he caught her hand with his. "Please, Elena" he said, his eyes pleading with her again. It would only make things worse to get Ric involved.

The front door opened suddenly and Ric made his presence known. "I'm home" he announced. "Got stuck just before the bridge. Cattle crossing" he said with a smile as he came around the corner. "What the hell happened?" Ric asked, noticing Stefan's face.

Stefan froze, unable to think of a good answer. His eyes avoided Ric's and Elena finally took pity on him. "One of the young horses knocked Stefan into the gate tonight" she said. "It was my fault. I was distracting him and the horse got excited. I got him all patched up though and he should be good to go" Elena added with a small smile, patting Stefan's shoulder.

Stefan breathed a sigh of relief. "She's takin' real good care of me" Stefan agreed.

Ric looked between the both of them, knowing something didn't quite add up, but not wanting to find out what was really going on either. "Keep that ice on it" Ric said. Stefan nodded. "I'm gonna do some paperwork. You holler if you need me" he added. Again, Stefan nodded.

When Ric left the room, Stefan looked over at Elena and saw that she looked irritated. "Thank you, Elena" he said, wanting her to know how much he appreciated what she had done.

"Don't" she said, holding her hand up abruptly. "Don't thank me for lying for you" she told him with bite behind her tone.

He felt instantly guilty. She just didn't understand. "Elena" he said, planning on explaining things to her.

"I'm going to feed everyone" she announced, cutting him off.

Stefan sighed when she quickly left the room and went out the front door. He allowed her to have a five minute head start before he got up and went out to the barn. He hated being at odds with her. He hated being at odds with anyone.

Elena dumped a can of grain into a bucket with more force than was necessary. She went back and grabbed an armful of orchard, moving along the stalls and giving each horse a flake. "Elena" he said, leaning up against the door of the barn. "Elena" he said again as she slammed the lid onto the grain bin.

"What?" she asked, quite irritated with him. Maybe the situation was what was bothering her. Maybe a whole lot was bothering her.

Stefan pushed off from the door and walked inside the barn. "Damon and Ric have a history of not gettin' along" Stefan began, intent on making her understand his reasoning. "They get into arguments and it takes a long time for them to get over it" he added. Elena gave in and looked at Stefan finally, seeing how sincere he was being. He really was worried. "I just don't want to cause a rift between them."

"Damon didn't just hit you because he's mad about his breakup" Elena said.

Stefan shook his head no, lowering the ice pack from his face. "He found out I've been givin' Rebekah money and helpin' her with her horse" he admitted.

Elena nodded. She knew that. "You two seem really close" Elena added. Not that she was jealous or anything.

"She's like my sister. But I can't stand the way Damon treats her" he admitted. "So maybe this is all for the best" he said, though Elena picked up on some reluctance.

"He still shouldn't have hit you" Elena said, still mad.

Stefan smiled slightly. "You care about me" he said, making a bold statement. The worst she could do was deny it.

"So what if I do?" she barked, feeling the need to get defensive.

Stefan stopped smiling, seeing that she actually looked upset. "I'm sorry" he said, looking down at his boots.

Elena groaned and rolled her eyes as she walked past him. "Stop apologizing" she told him icily, brushing past him and out of the barn. She hated when people apologized.

So he was right. She was pushing him away. She was creating distance on purpose.

Stefan frowned as he walked toward Red's stall. Red happily brought his head over his stall door to greet Stefan, searching his upturned hand for a treat. Stefan smiled, gently rubbing Red's face. "I just can't win with her" Stefan said sadly.

Red ducked his head back down into his feeder, grabbing a mouthful of hay and coming back up to see Stefan. Red exhaled, and Stefan thought that maybe Red was sighing at Stefan's plight. "You get it, I know" Stefan smiled, leaning his head against Red's.

He always got it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena walked downstairs, using the wall to guide her through the dark. She tried to turn a light on, but nothing happened. The power was probably out. She kept walking until she reached the window, looking out to see if it was storming. It wasn't.

There was an eerie feel to the yard as she looked out the window. Stefan's and Ric's trucks were parked where they normally were, and a few chickens were roaming around, pecking at the ground. But still, something didn't quite feel right.

She leaned closer to the window, trying to figure out why she felt like something was wrong.

A hand suddenly slapped against the outside glass, causing her to gasp and jump back. The hand remained on the glass, not moving. Elena remained where she was, having no intention of getting any closer again to investigate. She closed her eyes, saying a silent prayer. When she opened them, the hand was gone.

She swallowed hard, her eyes scanning out the window for anything unusual. All seemed okay though and she was sure she was just seeing things.

Like the person in the field, walking slowly towards the house. It wasn't Damon. It was a woman. She was dressed in a long, light blue nightgown, her feet shuffling through the grass.

Elena's heart began to race as the woman continued to walk towards the house. Elena ran to the front door and checked the lock. Then she ran back, and the woman was walking past Stefan's truck, still on her way. Elena squinted her eyes, getting a better look. The woman looked familiar.

The more she focused on her, the more anxiety Elena felt. The woman's long dark hair was matted, and her skin pale. She looked … dead almost.

A loud noise startled Elena again. The hand was back, having hit the glass forcefully. And this time, a head was slowly coming into view, almost as if someone was hiding under the window and slowly standing up to look inside the house.

Elena's heart was beating so fast, so hard, that she felt like she couldn't breathe. The woman was almost to the house and the person under the window slowly came into view finally.

Elena stopped breathing. She was sure of it. The person under the window stood completely up, showing himself as his head tilted, looking through the window at her. Elena's eyes locked on to the man's. Fear couldn't even begin to describe what she was feeling. Confusion was present too.

"Dad?" Elena asked, barely above a whisper as she looked at the man staring through the window at her. He looked dead too, pale and his hair dirty. His eyes were dark and distant. He looked just like her father, but he wasn't. He couldn't be. He scared her, and her father never had.

She had almost forgot about the woman coming until she was at the window too, her hands pushing against the glass, looking inside the house at Elena.

Her mother. Elena covered her mouth and cried, her body shaking so bad that she used her other hand to grab onto a chair.

The two people continued to look through the window at her, pushing on the glass as if they wanted in. They didn't speak, but their mouths moved as if they were trying to.

"No" Elena cried softly, closing her eyes as her sobs took control over her body. She slowly lowered herself to the floor, willing for them to go away. To leave her alone. They were not her parents. They barely resembled them in appearance. "Go away, go away, go away" Elena whispered to herself.

The two people on the outside began tapping on the glass, as if they were asking to be let in.

Elena covered her ears with her hands, continuing to cry as she tried to escape. But she couldn't. The tapping continued, getting louder and louder the longer she sat there. "Stop" Elena pleaded as she cried. "Please stop" she begged.

Elena's eyes shot open, her heart racing. She looked up at her window and saw nothing. It was silent, and she was in her bed. It was completely dark in her room, and outside.

Elena sat up slowly, allowing herself to gain a sense of her surroundings. She had had a nightmare. An awful, horrifying nightmare.

As she came to terms with having had a nightmare, she began to cry. Why would she dream about her parents like that?

Elena got up from bed and backed up towards the bathroom, wanting to be as far away from the window as possible. She was still having trouble breathing, and crying wasn't helping anything.

She wanted Stefan. She wanted to tell him what happened.

When Elena went through the bathroom and into his room, she saw that he was still sleeping. The right thing to do would have been to let him sleep. He needed his sleep. But she was selfish. "Stefan" she said, feeling her warm tears run down her face.

"Hmmm?" Stefan asked sleepily, rolling over. He reached over to his bedside lamp and turned it on, squinting from the light. Stefan saw her standing there, looking like she had seen a ghost. "What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up. Elena didn't hesitate as she went to him, sitting down on his bed and moving into his arms. She cried even harder. Stefan held her tight, rubbing her back gently. "Hey, it's okay" he said, pulling her even closer.

Stefan figured out pretty quickly that she had had a nightmare. The signs were all there, from her shaking to her crying to her looking completely afraid. And it must have been a really bad one for her to come into his room, seeking comfort. "Tell me about it" he whispered, stroking her back as he hugged her against him.

Elena shook her head against his t-shirt. "I can't" she cried softly. She didn't want to relive it. She didn't want to think about it.

"Yeah you can" he said, kissing her hair. "Tell me what happened" he encouraged. He was dead tired, but his worry for her trumped his exhaustion. Elena let out a painful breath as she leaned against him. Then she cried a little more as she prepared to tell him what she had seen while she was sleeping. "It's okay now" he said soothingly, keeping her close.

"I saw them" she cried softly, struggling to take another breath in as she was so worked up over it.

Stefan kissed her head gently, his lips remaining close. "Who?" he asked softly.

Another sob escaped her as she clenched her eyes shut again. "My mom and dad" she replied. The pain in her voice broke his heart. He wished that he could find a way for her to sleep peacefully every night. For her to not have to suffer. "They … they were dead though. And … and they were trying to get in here" she said, struggling to finish her sentence. "They kept … kept tapping … on the window and … they were dead … and they were trying … trying to … to get inside … after me" she said, breaking down again as she relived the whole thing. It was painful enough to think about them being gone. But seeing them in her dreams made it so much worse.

"I'm so sorry you had to dream about that" Stefan said softly, his arms tightening around her as he tucked her face into his shoulder. "It wasn't real though, Elena. You know that" he continued. She was still crying, and he knew that nothing he could say would make much of a difference right then. She was still upset. "Nothin's gonna hurt you here, Elena" he promised her.

Elena's crying became softer as she listened to him. She knew he was right, but it was all just so real. "I can't go back to sleep" she whispered through her tears. She couldn't start dreaming about that again.

Stefan nodded, squeezing her tight. "You can stay with me tonight … if you want to" he said, careful not to make it sound like he wanted her to or that he wanted something from her.

She paused for a moment, thinking about his offer. Did she want to stay with him all night?

Yes. Yes she did. More than anything. Because the thought of going back to her room by herself terrified her. "Okay" she said. Slowly, she sat up, finally able to look into his eyes filled with so much concern for her. This guy, who had only known her for two months, cared about her.

Stefan's hands reached up to hold her face, his thumb gently wiping away her tears. "I'm right here" he said softly, letting her know that he was in fact there for her. It was also his way of letting her know that he was glad she had come to him when she had needed someone. Her eyes couldn't help but stare back into his. He was so genuine and warm and … perfect. Stefan leaned in and kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger against her skin for a moment or two before pulling away. "Come here" he said, pulling back the covers for her.

Elena's tears continued to fall silently as she watched him move the covers for her. She hesitated for a moment before moving towards him, her back resting against his front as she settled into the bed with him. She felt the covers fall over her as he wrapped his arms around her, snuggling close behind her. He left the lamp on, she noticed. Even with the lamp on, she still didn't feel completely secure. She didn't want to be alone. "Stefan?" she whispered.

His arms tightened around her, reminding her that he was right there. "I won't go to sleep until you do" he promised her. Even if that meant staying up till morning with her.

Elena wanted to whisper thank you, but she didn't. She already felt weak, and needy. She didn't want to openly acknowledge it by thanking him. Instead though, her hand slowly found his, resting near her stomach.

He didn't hesitate to close his hand around hers, content with holding her hand for the rest of the night.

**A/N: First off, Stefan is just adorable I think. He's so young and innocent and really just wants to figure things out.**

**Second, I love Rebekah. I'm not sure what is going to happen with these two. **

**Third, Damon. Enough said Lol**


End file.
